Four Souls
by Hikari-neko
Summary: Two years after the Gaean War, Hitomi returns to a peaceful Gaea where Van and Merle are about to leave on a short visit to Van's mother Varie's homeland. There the peace turns to chaos when they meet a young native with a mysterious past. Please R&R!!
1. Default Chapter

Four Souls: Return to Giea  
  
p  
  
pAuthor's Note: (The Disclaimer) I don't own Escaflowne. If I did I'd be filthy rich! I sure wish I owned it though, you copy right people are so lucky *sighs*. Any comments I decide to add in are written in parenthesis. I love commentating! Well hope you enjoy.  
  
p  
  
pFirst off, lets explain a little background to this story:  
  
Two years after the Gaean war, Hitomi returns to Fanelia via the white light. She is reunited with Van and Merle, who are preparing to leave on a journey to Van's mother Varie's homeland, Lavia. They decide to postpone the trip for a short time to get reacquainted. A week later, Allen receives a message from Van telling him that Hitomi has returned. He and Celena/Dilandau, who is still constantly switching between personalities, decide to join the journey to Varie's home and return the letter. Dalandilu and Van have come to a truce of sorts by now. Millerna and Dryden receive similar letters and agree to join the expedition. They meet in the capital of Austuria, Palas, and depart on the crusade for the small island country of Lavia. As they arrive, our story begins…  
  
p  
  
pA lone rider traveled through the forests of Lavia. Shrouded in a dark cloak all that could be seen were the ebony horse, a small black kitten, and a short sword strapped to the traveler's side. The woods were dark and quiet; the only sound that could be heard was the clopping of the horse's hooves. A small ringed hand peaked out from the deep blue cloak. As the rider reached a crossroads he stopped. Hearing a slight rustle of the bushes, the rider turned in the saddle and pulled out a sword. It was shorter than a normal sword, perfect for the small human. Its finely wrought blade projected out of a simple hilt bound in melded silver. The swift movement showed a slight body beneath the cloak and a black leather belt and sheath. Hearing another noise, the rider turned again. He could see dark shapes moving about in the forest, humanoid looking shapes. The horse reared as seven men jumped out in front of it. Trying to get control of the bucking mare, the rider called out, "What do you want?"  
  
The men looked at the rider and cocked their heads confused. They're from the main land, thought the rider. They can't understand me. Speaking up again the rider cried out in the common language, "What do you want with a lone rider?"  
  
p"Come with us and we'll show you!" yelled one of the men. He seemed to be a leader of sorts with scruffy black hair atop his head.  
  
p"Why would I? For all I know you're bandits trying to rob me!" yelled the rider. Another man walked out of the forest, this one dressed like an imperial knight with shiny blond hair falling to his waist, "We are no such thing. Come with us!" he said.  
  
The rider raised the sword higher, ready to defend if necessary. "No!"  
  
p"Allen! What's going on?" yelled another man wearing a red shirt running towards the group, this one more resembling a boy. Behind him was a girl roughly the same age, with short, pale brown hair.  
  
p"We're trying to get help but this person is being very uncooperative!" said the knight called Allen.  
  
p"You did tell him we're looking for help, right?" asked the girl.  
  
p"Well…" said Allen, his stern manner wavering.  
  
p"Baka!" a cat-girl emerged from behind them, annoyed. The first girl walked up to the rider smiling, "Sorry about that," she said, "we're lost. Can you guide us to the nearest city?"  
  
p"Your new here aren't you," said the rider, after regarding the girl quietly with a cold eye. When the girl nodded she replied, "Then I suggest you go home. Port Orian's under siege and the capital's been destroyed. There's nothing here for tourists except the horrors of war," she murmured with a touch of sadness, more to herself than the foreigners. With that the rider threw back her hood to revel a young, dark haired woman. Her brilliant blue eyes glared harshly at them. "If you really want to see, I suppose I can take you to Port Orian, I just left there yesterday. But don't expect to find whatever you're looking for, the city's in ruins."  
  
p"Thank you," said the red shirted boy, "I'd like to see if we could help."  
  
p  
  
pThe band lead the rider through the forest to a large clearing made much smaller by the crusade.  
  
p"What's your name?" asked the girl next to the rider.  
  
p"Lia. Lia-ani," said the rider as they entered the clearing. There Lia saw a small group of people waiting for them, two of which were women. Lia sighed relieved; bandits didn't travel with women unless they were experienced warriors. Lia smirked quietly to herself, as she looked the two women over. It was doubtful either of them could hold a sword, let alone use it.  
  
p  
  
p"Lia!" called the girl with sandy hair, whom she had spoken to earlier. Lia swung down off her horse and tied her to the nearest tree, and then she walked over to the campfire where the girl sat. Seated at the fire also were the red shirted boy, the cat-girl and one of the two women she had seen earlier. That boy looks like him she thought.  
  
p"Lia, this is Van, Merle, and Celena. My name's Hitomi. Guys, this is Lia-ani…"  
  
p"Landen," said Lia.  
  
p"Oh, this is Lia-ani Landen," said Hitomi  
  
p"You wouldn't be Van Fanel of Fanelia would you?" asked Lia  
  
p"You've heard of me?" Van gasped, sounding surprised.  
  
p "Most people have by now," said Lia.  
  
p"Oh," realized Van, "Lia-ani, what did you mean when you said the capital has been destroyed? According to legend, the ruling clan should be able to protect the people through some kind of magic, magic only the Dragon Clan can use."  
  
p"Not any more," said Lia, "The dragon clan was wiped out 11 years ago. The phoenix clan is in control, or so they thought until now. Greedy bastards!" said Lia.  
  
p"What!? The phoenix clan is ruling?" yelled Van. Lia looked over the group and decidedly joined their circle by the fire. This could take some explaining.  
  
p"I'll start at the beginning. At the height of the rebellion 11 years ago, King Asgaurd over threw the dragon king and queen and killed the royal family, then went on a massacre until every member of the royal bloodline and everyone who opposed him were dead. The queen managed to get two of her children away before the attack, and rumor still has it that there was a spy who warned them. They were chased out to sea, brought back, and executed publicly, except for the youngest child," said Lia.  
  
p"What happened to the kid?" asked Merle.  
  
p"No one knows. Some say they drowned her out there," said Lia  
  
p"So that's why Lavia has been targeted. Some one knew the Phoenix King wouldn't have the power to defend the kingdom," Van reflected in a subdued voice.  
  
p"They took advantage of our weakness. Since there are no gymelefs in Lavia, the attack is succeeding and we are helpless," said Lia.  
  
p"Who attacked?" asked Van. Lia leaned her forehead on her hand,  
  
p"This is going to sound impossible, but who ever they were, they used Zaibach technology. Even we didn't believe it at first"  
  
p"What!?" yelled Merle, Hitomi and Van together. Lia sighed.  
  
p"The history of Lavia is long and complicated. I'll explain in depth some other time. Now, we all need to get some rest for the road tomorrow," she ended abruptly. She walked away, her mysterious cloak trailing, leaving three very shocked teenagers behind her.  
  
p  
  
pThe next morning, Hitomi woke to find Lia already packed and pacing around the camp.  
  
p"Lia! What's wrong?" she asked. Lia stopped, looked up, then sighed and jogged over to her. "What's wrong?" Hitomi asked again.  
  
p"Nothing, I'm just restless," said Lia, shaking her head. The girl frowned at her, wondering about her new acquaintance's sullen mood. Suddenly Hitomi stopped dead as a vision over took her. Through the darkness she watched a small rowboat coming towards her. Inside were a woman and two children, one around ten and the other about six. Emerging behind them was a small fleet of boats. The women looked rather desperate and ravaged with fatigue; a world of fear shone on her children's faces. All three were dressed in ragged clothing, looking to have been very fine and well made at one time, cut low in the back to reveal draconian wings. The woman noticed the fleet and stopped rowing. With a cry of desperation, she took the younger child, a girl, and a square plank of wood and set both afloat on the water. The boy watched and grabbed the small sword at his side. He undid the sword belt and handed both to the girl, then helped his mother push her away. The woman clamped both of her hands over her mouth and screwed her eyes shut in a last surrender of hope, tears streaming fearfully down her cheeks. The boy desperately clung to his mothers skirt as if never to let go of the little security he had ever known. The girl's pathetic cries for her mother rang out through the mist. The fog swallowed her raft as the fleet closed in on the defeated, cowering pair. The scene changed to the small raft washed upon the ocean shore. A woman and a young man, her son perhaps, ran down the bank and picked up the limp, barley- breathing figure of a child. A small silver dragon pendant slid out from the young girl's clothing. The woman saw it and gasped. The girl woke and looked up at them, unaware of her recent ordeal, then said,  
  
p"Where am I?"  
  
p"Poor dear, she can't remember anything," whispered the woman sadly to her son, "even a young dragon clan child can tell where she is in Lavia." The ocean shore dissolved into a distant forest as Hitomi emerged from the vision. She stared at Lia. As she looked hard, two things caught her eye, first Lia's sword. It was the same one the boy gave the young girl in her vision. Second was the silver ornament at Lia's throat. She could not mistake the winged dragon pendant with its tail curled around a multicolored crystal. Had she just seen Lia's past? Hitomi balked at the thought. If that was true, then that would mean that not only was Lia-ani Landen draconian, she was the single heir to the royal family of the dragon clan.  
  
p"Are you ok?" Lia's question snapped Hitomi back to reality.  
  
p"Yeah… yeah, I'm fine," she replied unsteadily. Lia looked at her suspiciously for a second, and then glanced away.  
  
p"You better get everyone up, it's at least a days walk and you can't go piloting that levy ship around there either. That is, unless you want to get killed," said Lia  
  
p"Right," Hitomi hurried off to wake as many people as she could, but mostly to get away from Lia's mind-wrenching stare. She could have sworn that Lia had seen exactly what Hitomi had discovered. She came across the first tent, which just so happened to be the one she had shared with Merle. Hitomi shook the cat-girl awake, nearly getting mangled for doing so.  
  
p"What's the big idea!?" Merle yowled sourly.  
  
p"We're leaving as soon as everyone's up; help me make that soon!" Hitomi yelled back. Merle complied, grumbling, and went off to find someone to harass out of bed. The next tent Hitomi found was the one Van and Allen shared. Lucky me, she thought sarcastically. Not wanting any unpleasant sights, she refrained from ripping the blankets off of them and yelled in their ears instead. Lucky for her it seemed to do the trick, until a grumbling Van threw his pillow at her and buried himself under the covers. Allen had managed to wake up however, so Hitomi decided to leave Van to his 'tender' mercies. Next she found Millerna's tent. The only reason she had managed to get a tent alone was because the only other girl in the party changed sexes unpredictably. The rest of the group seemed to have been reasonably woken by Lia and Merle. Gaddes had picked a fight with Lia about having to get all of them up.  
  
p"Well if all of you hadn't been so shy last night we could have worked out who was going then!' yelled Lia.  
  
p"Who was being shy?" asked Gaddes smugly.  
  
p"Will you shut your trap?! The sooner this is done the sooner some of you can get back to sleep!" yelled Lia.  
  
p"What's all the racket?" asked Van, stretching.  
  
p"We need to decide who's going. Not every one is needed and the less people the safer the expedition," said Lia, still annoyed.  
  
p"Well I'm going!" said Van.  
  
p"If he's going so am I," said Merle.  
  
p"Me to," said Hitomi quietly.  
  
p"I'll go to, incase things get out of hand," said Allen.  
  
p"You know I am quite capable of defending my self," said Lia.  
  
p"I assumed, but what about thoughs two?" asked Allen, pointing at Hitomi and Merle. Lia just growled at him.  
  
p"Any one else?"  
  
p"I'm coming," said Dalandilu.  
  
p"Alright, that's just wrong!" said Lia.  
  
p"What?" asked Dalandilu.  
  
p"Never mind, let's go," said Lia, shaking her head and walking towards the forest. The rest ran to catch up.  
  
p  
  
pSeveral hours went by before the travelers took a rest. In the shade of a particularly large pine, Lia removed one of her black boots to reveal a series of massive blisters. As she sat there massaging her feet with a grimace Hitomi just couldn't help but notice. She became even more unnerved when Lia removed her hand from the blisters after covering them for several seconds. Some how, with in that small amount of time, they had healed over completely. Lia limped over to the rest of them.  
  
p"We've got a few hours worth of walking ahead of us still, and I'm not one for wasting time," she said particularly looking at and exhausted and whining Merle.  
  
p"You ok Lia?" asked Hitomi.  
  
p"I'm fine, just haven't been walking distances in a while, I mostly ride," said Lia airily. Or fly thought Hitomi.  
  
p"We're ready, let's keep moving," said Allen. The hike did take several more hours, counting a couple rests in between. When they reached the bluff above Port Orian, Lia led them down a narrow tunnel in the ground. Near the ground they found a small-carved staircase, which made travel a bit easier. They came out of the tunnel in a small deserted storage shack.  
  
p"What was that?" asked Merle.  
  
p"The siege escape root," said Lia, grinning. She led them through the deserted streets of the city. The place fit Lia's earlier description; battered building stared down the street, littered with rubble, from their dark windows. Reaching the fort walls, she turned into a small alley, and followed it, until she reached another section of wall. There, she removed the single silver ring from her finger and slid it into an almost invisible hole in the drab stone. A small portion of the wall grounded aside to reveal a hidden passage. Lia beckoned to the others to follow, then crawled through the hole into the darkness.  
  
p  
  
pThe dark tunnel ended abruptly with a trap door on the low ceiling. Opening the hatch slightly, Lia took in the chamber above. Satisfied that the room was empty, she climbed out and held up the door for everyone else. They entered a small unimpressive cubical with a single door. Lia unfastened the door a crack, and then swung it open. The mystified travelers followed her through an empty hall until they reached a main corridor. Crouching to the sleek marble tiles Lia peaked around the corner then sank back behind the wall again with a horrified look on her face.  
  
p"What?" whispered Van. Lia peaked around the bend and pointed at a group of young men in uniforms. Both Dalandilu and Van peaked around the corner with her.  
  
p"They must be part of a new Dragon Slayer unit," whispered Dalandilu.  
  
p"What?" asked Allen from behind them.  
  
p"Thoughs are Zibach Dragon Slayer uniforms," said Dalandilu, "Wait a minute! Is that Miguel!?"  
  
p"Who?" asked Van.  
  
p"The Dragon Slayer you two took prisoner two years ago. Isn't he dead?" said Dalandilu.  
  
p"That's not what's bothering me, look at the guy next to him," said Lia.  
  
p"Never seen him before," said Dalandilu, "But he does have an uncanny resemblance to Van."  
  
p"What?!" said Van.  
  
p"That is Jeris Phinlavia, one of the younger Lavian princes," said Lia.  
  
p"A prince? What is he doing here when these people are destroying his country?! And why is he wearing a dragon slayer uniform?" said Allen indignantly.  
  
p"I have no idea," said Lia with disappointment, shaking her head.  
  
p"You know him?" asked Merle.  
  
p"He's the one who gave me this ring," said Lia quietly holding up her left hand. On the middle finger was the ring she had used to open the passage into the fort. Catching on, Merle giggled and was silenced by Lia's glare. "One thing I know for sure. He's not doing this of his own free will. He can't be."  
  
p"How can you be so sure of that?" asked Allen skeptically.  
  
p"Because Jeris has an annoyingly strong sense of duty to his people and his country. They must have messed with his mind some how."  
  
p"It's possible," said Dalandilu, "the sorcerers do have that kind of ability. One of them might have survived the war." Lia focused back on the three seventeen year olds.  
  
p"Jared, General Aloran wants to speak with you," said the boy Dalandilu had called Miguel.  
  
p"Jared?" Lia whispered confused.  
  
p"I'll be up in a minute," said Jared, pushing his floppy dark mop of hair away from his forehead. "Aethan, tell the others to prepare to search the countryside for anyone who could oppose us. Don't kill them unless it's absolutely necessary," he warned.  
  
p"Yes commander," said Aethan mockingly, with a mischievous grin. Aethan and Miguel left abruptly leaving Jared alone.  
  
p"Dalandilu, have you heard of Aloran before?" whispered Van, turning to look at him. Dalandilu's face had gone whiter than usual was contorted in an odd way with his eye twitching.  
  
p"That guy took over my position! And yes I have heard of Aloran!" he snapped as quietly as possible.  
  
p"Let's go back to the cellar room to discuss this. We've been here long enough," said Lia, leading the way back to the room they entered the fort from. Once there Hitomi let out a sigh of relief. "Alright, now we can talk. Dalandilu, who is Aloran?" said Lia.  
  
p"First of all Aloran is no general. He was a sorcerer under Emperor Dornkirk. I don't know much else about him," said Dalandilu sullenly.  
  
p"So some how Jeris must have been captured, probably experimented on and then placed at the head of the dragon slayers," said Lia.  
  
p"Ha, I doubt he'll stay there for long. He has my reputation to live up to," said Dalandilu with a smug grin, stroking the scar on his face.  
  
p"That I can believe," said Lia rolling her eyes, "Dilly, I can't help but ask, does that scar bother you?"  
  
p"What did you call me?!" Dalandilu asked, his voice dangerously low.  
  
p"Ah, just something I thought would be easier to pronounce. So does it?" said Lia nervously laughing.  
  
p"Of course it does," said Dalandilu, glaring at Van, who promptly looked away, whistling innocently.  
  
p  
  
pThe silence gave way to footsteps in the hall outside of them. Lia shot a distressed glance at the others, then threw open the trap door and pushed Hitomi and Merle in first. Dalandilu and Van followed. "Allen go, I can hold them," said Lia impatiently. Allen took one hesitant look at her glittering eyes, and then jumped through the door. The door leading to the hall swung open as Lia unsheathed her short sword. Two boys stepped through, the same two boys they had seen with Jeris. Lia threw them a reckless, maniacal grin, and then jumped through the trap door, locking it behind her. A sword slashed through the thin wooden boards above her. Lia raced along the tunnel at breakneck speed. She tumbled out of the passage, only to hear a loud alarm blaring through the halls. Hitomi saw her and desperately waved her into a small alley. Lia took off for the bluff with the group close behind. Racing up the worn stairs, she thought she sensed a set of gymelefs over head. She threw the hatch open and climbed out. Hitomi and Merle instantly darted towards the woods, Van and Allen drew their swords as they reached the exit and scrambled up after a thoroughly annoyed, sour-faced Dalandilu. The last four took off after the others only to meet four gymelefs blocking their way. Lia and Van ducked away from the leading gymelefs attack. The lead gymelef was black the other three blue.  
  
p"Well at least he didn't steal my color," muttered Dalandilu. The gymelefs stopped and opened to reveal their young pilots; Jared, Aethan, Miguel and one other short and silver-blond haired slayer. The offending dragon slayers jumped out of their gymelefs and circled the wary group.  
  
p"Surrender and you won't be killed," yelled Jared. Dalandilu felt Miguel's stare cutting into him and glared back.  
  
p"If you want us, come get us," replied Lia.  
  
p"Wait, Dala… Lord Dalandilu?" asked Miguel, recognition showing plainly on his face. Aethan glanced at Miguel and then looked back at Dalandilu. Jared ignored them and moved towards Allen who was at the edge of the bluff with his sword drawn. Jared swung at Allen. Allen's sword moved into a clean block that twisted Jared's sword out of his hands and caused him to loose his balance. Jared's arms windmilled desperately and then he tumbled off the cliff. "Jeris!" shrieked Lia after him. She ran to the edge and dove right off with out any show of hesitation. "Lia!" yelled Van, watching her plummet, disbelief on his face. He was about to dive after her when Hitomi caught his arm. Horrified, he watched as Lia fell closer to Jared.  
  
p  
  
pLia plunged through the sky. Holding Jared close with one arm, she tore off her cloak (not her shirt) with the other and sprouted draconian wings. Jared's body weighed her down, causing her to crash into a small pathetic bunch of shrubbery. She was slapped back into consciousness by the flat of Jared's blade. Noticing her own sword out of reach she backed into the cliff wall.  
  
p"Jeris? Jeris it's me, Lia. Don't you remember?" Jared cocked an eyebrow.  
  
p"You fool, you're my enemy, so why save me? And who's Jeris?" Lia looked hard at him.  
  
p"You are Jeris. And I saved you because… well, you wouldn't remember I guess," she murmured, looking away. A tear rolled down her cheek and fell to the ground. Seeing this, Jared sheathed his sword and gazed at her.  
  
p"Lia? Your name is Lia?"  
  
p"Yes, my name is Lia. Jeris, what did they do to you?"  
  
p"What did who…"  
  
p"What did Aloran do to you?" Jared looked more confused.  
  
p"Aloran saved me and made me leader of the neo-dragon slayers."  
  
p"Jeris, Aloran destroyed your country and kidnapped you!" Jared's face hardened once more and he wiped his sword out of its sheath and pointed it at Lia's neck.  
  
p"I will hear no more of your crazy rantings," he commanded. Then noticing the familiar ring on her finger, he yanked her hand up in confused anger.  
  
p"Where did you get this!?" Lia glared back with just as much fire.  
  
p"You gave it to me the day you left to try to break the siege at the capital! Can't you remember anything about me? About us?" Jeris' eyes flickered with sudden recognition.  
  
p"Oh God…" his eyes scanned the ground. "Oh God what's happening to me," he whimpered, collapsing into a sobbing mess in the dust. "Lia! What's going on? Please help me!" She approached the pathetic figure on the ground, then kneeled beside him and pulled him close.  
  
p"Shh, it's all right now. Your safe."  
  
p  
  
pUp above Miguel had dropped his sword and was now kneeling in front of Dalandilu who was trying to get him to stand up. Aethan just stared at the pair. The fourth slayer had left to bring reinforcements and find Jared, if he was alive. Van had watched the scene below until he was satisfied that the two were both safe. Turning back he glanced at Aethan, walked over, and smacked him on the back.  
  
p"Hey! What's the…"Aethan's words were cut off by Van's glare. Miguel finally stood up and, surprised he hadn't gotten smacked yet, jumped on Dalandilu. Grinning evilly, Dalandilu pulled him off and hugged him back, which surprised Miguel even more. Miguel finally let go and looked around. Shocked by seeing Van and his friends there, he took a step back. Dalandilu grabbed his arm and headed off into the woods to explain. Aethan, confused, followed them. Merle also ditched Van and ran down the escape shaft to find Lia. It wasn't until Allen poked him in the back that he remembered they were still in danger. After telling Hitomi to head back to camp with Dalandilu, he and Allen climbed down the bothole (the escape shaft) after Merle.  
  
p  
  
pLia felt rather than saw the gymelefs approach. Five of them circled her and Jeris. The gymelefs' hatches opened to let out their pilots; all dressed in dragon slayer uniforms.  
  
p"Commander! Are you all right?!" yelled the nearest pilot.  
  
p"Better than ever!" Jeris called back. A confused look came over the pilot's face as he considered the situation.  
  
p"You have a prisoner? Good, Aloran still wants to see you. You can hand the rebel over to us."  
  
p"You won't touch her," said Jeris, coldly.  
  
p"Err… what?"  
  
p"I said your to leave her alone"  
  
p"What about this one?" One of the pilots held a hissing and struggling Merle in his gymelef's hand.  
  
p"Merle!" yelled Lia. Jeris pulled her back. A shadowed figure walked towards them. As the figure approached, Lia could make out a man in his thirties wearing a dark cloak around him, despite the days heat. The man gave Lia an annoyed look.  
  
p"Damn you girl, how dare you break my memory spell." Jeris held Lia tighter.  
  
p"What do you want Aloran?" he whispered, his gaze seething with newfound hatred.  
  
p"I see your memory hasn't left you. Good, come with me and bring the girl." Jeris gave General Aloran a glare that would have silenced most people in an instant.  
  
p"I won't let you touch her." Aloran gave a tired sigh.  
  
p"Really Jared, this is only as hard as you make it." Jeris kept silent and hardened his gaze further. "Have it your way. Dragon Slayers, apprehend him." The gymelefs moved forward and forced Lia and Jeris apart.  
  
p"I'm sorry Commander," said the one holding Jeris as he knocked him over the head. The dragon slayers fell back, taking Lia, Merle and Jeris with them.  
  
p  
  
pVan and Allen watched the scene from the cover of the woods. No way! That can't be Jeris, Van thought. He stood up, ready to attack. Allen, always calm, stepped in front of him.  
  
p"Allen! We can't leave them there!"  
  
p"There is no way two of us can win against five gymelefs," Allen said, "We can help them better by staying alive and free." Van sighed in frustration; unfortunately Allen was almost always right about this sort of thing.  
  
p"We should go back to camp and organize a rescue team," he said.  
  
p"Good plan, lets go," Allen replied.  
  
p  
  
pMerle regained consciousness in a dark, cold cell. Next to her, she heard someone breathing heavily. She turned to see Lia, still unconscious. The young man she had seen with Lia was nowhere to be found.  
  
p"Come on! Please wake up!" Merle's shaking and whining brought Lia around with a start.  
  
p"What! Where am I? Where's Jeris?" she yelled, her chest heaving and a cold sweat collecting on her brow as if she had just woken from a nightmare.  
  
p"Quiet!" whispered Merle harshly. Lia took in her surroundings. She would have said they were in the Port dungeon but she felt a strange humming from the floor.  
  
p"Merle? Where are we?" she asked.  
  
p"On a floating fortress, I think." Lia gave Merle a hard look. "At least I think we are…" Merle's voice trailed off meekly. Lia shrugged, accepting the theory.  
  
p"I can't believe they managed to rebuild one of these! More so, I can't believe we're stuck on it!" Merle nudged closer. Peering through the darkness at Lia she saw a small tear trickle down her cheek. Merle placed her paw on Lia's shoulder. Lia looked up startled, then she relaxed. "Thanks, I guess I'm just worried." Lia paused. "You know, you remind me a lot of my foster sister."  
  
p"Foster sister? I thought you had a family."  
  
p"I did until these rebel bastards came along. Still, my family never kept it a secret that I was a foundling. How could I be their child any way? Two humans can't create a draconian child."  
  
p"You're draconian?" Lia nodded. Merle frowned. "Prove it!" Lia sighed, tired that people could never just take her word for it…  
  
p"Very well." She stepped away from the wall and removed the cloak that had been wrapped around her. Pure white wings exploded from her shoulder blades, sending a gentle shower of cloud-like feathers to the dank cell floor. She grimaced as they hit the wall. She should have known the cell wasn't big enough for this! She quickly withdrew the wings. Merle just stared at her quietly.  
  
p"I thought Van-sama and his brother were the only draconians."  
  
p"No, Jeris is one to. Lavia used to be ruled by draconians. It was the one country where we could walk safe. Now the only ones left that we know of are Van, Jeris and I." Merle narrowed her eyes.  
  
p"How did you know Van-sama was?" She looked away and idly scanned the flagstones.  
  
p"I sensed it. The other reason I knew I was a foster child was I had abilities that none of the others had."  
  
p"What kind of abilities?"  
  
p"Oh, you know, sensing odd things, healing exceptionally fast, being a natural healer, that kind of thing." Lia smiled at her, then gave a short mirthless laugh.  
  
p"Besides, whoever my real parents were they obviously didn't care what happened to me. Other wise they wouldn't have left me." Lia felt an icy chill creep down her back the moment the words left her mouth. She shrugged it off with a shudder and walked up to the cell bars. Hearing a shuffling sound in the hall, she took a step back into the safety of the darkness.  
  
p  
  
pThe light on the outer wall brightened as the shuffling came closer. Soon Lia could make out two of the dragon slayers dragging a pathetic lump of something towards her. As they neared she recognized the load.  
  
p"Jeris!" she yelled and banged her arms against the steel bars. One of the slayers looked up and smiled sadly at her. It was Aethan. He must have returned to help them. The second slayer unbolted the cell door and raised his sword as Lia sprang towards him. It was the forth slayer she had seen at the cliff.  
  
p"Let her be Yaren, she's no threat." Aethan sighed as he lifted an unconscious Jeris into her arms. "Go on ahead, I'll finish up here." He commanded. Yaren grinned at him and walked back through the halls. The tall brunet turned to Lia. "I'm sorry, I wish I could help. Lord Dalandilu told Miguel and me the story and I believe him. I may have never met Dilandau, but I trust Miguel's instincts better than my own. I snuck some bandages and such down here, as well as some food and water." When Lia gave him an astonished look he added, "I swore my loyalty to Jared, not Aloran, and Gods strike me if I break my sworn word. Jared was always good to his men, no matter what the others say." Lia gave him a sad smile. It was odd, she thought, to find such an honorable soul among these ruthless killers. She reflected for a moment on their current situation, then asked,  
  
p"Will you join us? When we're free I mean?"  
  
p"I'd be honored my lady," said Aethan, with a courtly bow. "You know, I heard the general talking to some of his men about Jared. Sorry, Jeris. It seems Aloran was using him in some sort of experiment."  
  
p"I figured that… what kind? You mean like the one they did on Dalandilu…" Lia's voice trailed off as she tried not to think of the nightmarish possibilities.  
  
p"No, nothing like that. They weren't trying to alter fate, they were trying to create a stronger warrior. The only thing I will admit to being grateful about in Aloran is the fact that he learned from Dornkirk's mistake. No, he was trying to create a telepathic warrior. Someone who could control a gymelef with his or her thoughts but not have to merge with it."  
  
p"Like Van, except stronger you mean," Merle injected from behind.  
  
p"Exactly. Supposedly, he succeeded with Jeris. The only problem was that to keep him under control, Aloran had to block his memories. Well, I'll leave you be now. Take care of him lady." Aethan left.  
  
p  
  
p"He doesn't have to call me 'lady'," muttered Lia as she turned Jeris onto his back. Seeing the deep cuts she swore and grabbed for the bundle Aethan had left. Inside she found a roll of bandages, some salve, three water canteens, and some food. Merle crawled over to help. Stripping off Jeris' blood soaked and ripped shirt, she took one of the bandages she poured a tiny bit of water on it and used the wet cloth to dab the wounds clean. "What did they do to you," Lia muttered to herself. She felt him tense under her touch. At least he hasn't gone numb, she thought. Satisfied that the wounds were clean enough she began to gently rub the salve on them. Jeris gasped. Checking to she if he was conscious and satisfied that he was still out, she had Merle help her hold him up while she wrapped the clean bandages around his chest and back. Lia propped him up on his side and covered him with her cloak. She sat there staring at him, fear love and pity all reflecting in her eyes at once. Merle watched all of it in silence.  
  
p"You love him don't you?" Lia smiled sadly at her.  
  
p"I'm so hopeless… I've loved him since the day I met him." Merle said nothing and just watched Lia's hand gently caress Jeris' cheek. It must be wonderful to be in love, she thought. She jumped when Lia nudged her, and then took the food she held out. Well, thought Merle, At least I have Van- sama and my friends.  
  
p  
  
pAt that moment, Merle's friends were discussing their next course of action. They had decided to launch an attack on the fortress with their motley group of soldiers and mercenaries. Now the only problem was finding the darn thing! They settled down to wait for their scouts to return with clues as to the whereabouts of the floating fortress.  
  
p  
  
pLia was woken the next morning by the rust grate of the cell door. She sat up as Yaren and two unknown dragon slayers walked into the room. One beckoned her to follow him. She took a step back, and then saw Yaren's reassuring smile. She cautiously moved forward and allowed the two other slayers to tie her hands behind her. Yaren led them out of the dungeon and into a small room where Aloran was waiting. On a small table Lia saw a large set of painful looking tools. (Aloran you are a sick, sick man!) Yaren grimaced as he glanced at her. The two other slayers untied her hands and forced her into the chair in the center of the room. Quietly they tied her to it.  
  
p"Yaren, Owean, Mandan, leave us!" The three dragon slayers left the room. Aloran gave Lia an evil grin and began toying with the small knife in his hand. "You have no idea how much trouble you've caused me girl." His silky voice was dangerously soft. "Personally, I have to wonder how you could have broken that memory charm. No normal child could have done it." Aloran slapped her across the face. Lia remained silent as she glared at him. "What's your name girl?" Lia glared. "Answer me bitch!" he spat. He slapped her again, harder this time. Lia just grinned at him, and found that to be a mistake when the knife he held started pressing against her neck hard enough to draw blood. "You will answer me girl, if you want to live." Lia's grin widened.  
  
p"If you truly want answers than killing me won't solve your problems," she said in a cocky whisper. Aloran's ghost like face contorted and he smacked her again.  
  
p"Wise for your age aren't you? No matter, I'll have my answers!" Lia felt him grip her head, than experienced invisible fingers digging through her mind. She mentally pushed them away, countering the mind-rape. Aloran drew back in shock. "A Master Mage? This young? I hadn't planed on finding…" his voice trailed off as he considered the implications wide eyed. Lia looked down, he had found what she had been trying to hide. She hoped with all her heart he hadn't discovered the name or location of her craft-master. "That's how you broke the spell. I thought it would take a Master to do so. Yaren! Owean! Mandan! Get in here!" The three slayers rushed into the room. Lia was sure they had been eaves dropping. "You have an hour to do with her what you please, then you must bring her back to her cell. I must consider this… now go!" The slayer named Mandan untied her and led her out of the room.  
  
p"So, what are we going to do?" he asked, pushing his curly red hair out of his face.  
  
p"Bring her back to Jared. I'll not be touching his woman," said Yaren. The blond boy named Owean looked at them surprised.  
  
p"But you heard our orders! And any way, Jared's a traitor!"  
  
p"Either you're with us or you're against us Owean! If I hear a peep about this from the other slayers than I won't be held responsible for what happens to you afterwards!" Mandan's bright green eyes glared harshly into Owean's blue-gray ones. Owean looked down.  
  
p"Alright, I'm with you. Far be it from me to harm Jared, even with what's happened. No one deserves to be treated like that, not even a traitor."  
  
p"Good!" Yaren pushed his sliver-blond hair back then looked at Lia with his intense green eyes. "We'll help you out of here, never you worry. Jared earned our trust well." Mandan stayed back to talk with Owean as Yaren led Lia back to the damp cell. As they reached it he handed her a bundle from inside his jacket. "Here, Aethan said to give you this if I could."  
  
p"My thanks," Lia replied as she walked into the cell.  
  
p  
  
pThe Austurian Levi Ship climbed closer to its target. Hopefully, with the stealth technology that had been installed after the war, they'd have the element of surprise long enough to get their people out of there.  
  
p  
  
pAuthor's note: Well? Like? This is my first attempt at a fanfic so please don't be too critical. (Mainly directed towards my editor… Be nice Jade-chan!) Hope you enjoy the series! 


	2. Visions of the Past

pFour Souls: Visions of the Past  
  
p  
  
pAuthor's Note: zzzzzzzz. What? Huh? Oh sowy, I must have dosed off ^_^; Oh well, have fun reading -_^  
  
p  
  
p"Target sighted dead ahead!" yelled Redeen, one of Allen's men.  
  
p"Good, approach carefully. Don't give us away. Kio, take us in." Gaddes had control of the bridge for now, while the majority of the crew, Allen, and Van prepared for docking. They had all agreed that it would be to dangerous to let Dalandilu go along, so he had locked himself in his room with a bottle of wine and a set of matches he'd swiped from Hitomi. (I hope they fireproofed his room!) Miguel, their new recruit, had also been ordered to stay behind. Instead of sulking, he had helped by drawing a detailed map to the fortress for them to use, and helped to plan the invasion. Most of the crew had been cautious of Miguel at first, until they noticed how insanely devoted he was to Dalandilu. Miguel had also been receiving messages from a friend within the fortress. Aethan had given him detailed information on guard shifts, when he and his close friends were on and off duty, and anything else that might come in handy. They had arranged to meet Aethan, Yaren, Owean, and Mandan half way with the captives and take them the rest of the way. They had been warned that Jeris, Lia's friend, was injured and couldn't walk far. Lia and Merle themselves seemed to be fine. The letters had also warned that the fortress' commanding officer wouldn't tolerate intrusion. At this point, the plan was set. In fifteen minutes, they arrived.  
  
p  
  
pThe four dragon slayers reached the holding cell right on time. They had ten minutes to get the captives to the scheduled point. Aethan shook both Lia and Merle awake while Mandan, being the strongest of the four, helped Jeris to his feet. They raced along the deserted, dimly lit hallways, taking care to avoid being seen.  
  
p  
  
pDim-witted boys, they'll pay for betraying me. Aloran watched the small group on the screen in front of him. They'll never leave this fortress alive!  
  
p  
  
pYaren could see the docking bay in front of them. They were almost safe. Suddenly the door rushed closed. Damn! Yaren scanned the celing carefully. Above them was a small air vent.  
  
p"Mandan! Can you give me a boost?" Mandan handed Jeris over to Aethan and Owean. He braced himself as Yaren stepped carefully into his out stretched hands. With the added height, Yaren grabbed onto a rafter and pulled himself up. From his jacket he retrieved a set of helpful tools. Carefully unscrewing the vent, he stuck his arm up far enough to feel the air current. "The air's to strong! Can't get through that way!" As he jumped down Yaren heard a loud noise from the other side of the door. Three crima-claws burst through, merged and tore the door apart. (A crima- claw is one of the liquid metal things the Zaibach gymelefs use as weapons) On the other side of the door stood Jeris' black gymelef. Yaren glanced back at him. Jeris was grinning insanely at the group. Yaren shrugged and led them through the door. Hey, whatever works, he thought.  
  
p"Jeris, can you pilot that thing in your condition?" asked Mandan.  
  
pJeris snorted a haughty laugh. "Of course!" he said, then promptly collapsed into a fit of coughing. Lia rolled her eyes in disgust and amusement at his display of macho manliness. Mandan helped Jeris up into his gymelef. Yaren and Owean ran for their own gymelefs. Aethan helped Lia and Merle onto Jeris and Yaren's gymelefs and then ran for his own.  
  
p  
  
pReeden watched the fortress from the hidden Crusade. (The Crusade is the name of Allen's levy-ship.) The docking bay doors exploded. "Commander! Docking bay doors open!" That was the signal.  
  
"Dive and prepare for docking!" yelled Allen.  
  
p  
  
pThe Crusade's sudden appearance caused a slight panic on the floating fortress. Aloran swore. This was not what he'd planned. "Fire at will!" he hissed over the intercom to his troops.  
  
p  
  
pA volley of torpedo like crima-claws sped toward the descending ship. This was Van's cue. This would be easier on Escaflowne, he thought. Tearing off his shirt, he sprouted wings and dove off the Crusade's deck. Once he reached the docking bay he was to lead the four slayers and the captives, in their gymelefs away from the distraction caused by the Crusade.  
  
p  
  
pAloran grinned when he saw the small white shape descending from the levy-ship. "Target shape 10 meters below the ship!"  
  
"Aye, sir!"  
  
p  
  
pVan dodged the cascade of torpedoes that sped toward him. He shouldn't have been seen yet! Van flew faster towards the large doors. He could see the five waiting gymelefs.  
  
p  
  
pMerle spotted the winged shape and waved at Van. Lia glanced up, worry written all over her face. Aloran shouldn't have seen him yet. "Jeris, we have to move! Van's a sitting duck out there!"  
  
p"We can't yet! If we're seen then he might call the other slayers out on us!" yelled Yaren.  
  
p"Too late!" Owean was hurriedly trying to block the inner door.  
  
p"We have to go!" yelled Lia.  
  
p"Stand back Owean!" Mandan's gymelef held a large square piece of metal in its hand. Owean moved back and allowed Mandan to place the metal over the door. "Lia's right, let's go!" The Alsedis gymelefs changed to flight mode as Van flew through the open docking bay door in front of them.  
  
p"Good timing!" yelled Aethan.  
  
p  
  
pThe attack on the Crusade was getting more and more accurate. "Kio! Pull up! Pull up!" yelled Gaddes desperately. The primary plan was failing miserably, and it was now up to Van to get the captives safely away.  
  
p  
  
pAloran watched the levy-ship's retreat. Now to take care of the miscreants in the docking bay. Aloran gritted his teeth in frustration. The inner door to the docking bay was blocked. It looked like the rebel scum might get away this time. (Who you calling rebel scum Aloran?)  
  
p  
  
pVan led the five gymelefs away from the fortress. Aloran hadn't seemed to notice the escapees as of yet. The cliffs surrounding them rose as Van's group approached. Veering left, Van led them through a thin crevice in the rocks, just big enough for the gymelefs to follow single file. They landed in the woods.  
  
p  
  
p"Rescue mission complete! Fall back!" yelled Allen. The Crusade turned in mid air and sped off.  
  
p  
  
p"General! Permission to follow!" yelled one of the Zaibach soldiers.  
  
p"Permission declined, this ship can't match their speed," replied Aloran.  
  
p"Sir, they're getting away!"  
  
p"Then track them! I'll be in my chambers." Aloran walked away disgusted. Losing six of his best soldiers within two days had really hurt his pride.  
  
p  
  
pThe Crusade met Van and the gymelefs in their clearing deep in the Lavian woods. Millerna, seeing Jeris' wounds, had two of Allen's men take him to the closest thing they had to a sick room. Hitomi followed Merle and Lia to the nearest fire. "Lia, I think we have a right to know what's going on here," she said. Van sat down next to her with at quizzical look on his face. Lia sighed, staring at the dancing flames that could never seem to warm her heart.  
  
p"It's a long story," she replied curtly.  
  
p"We have time," Hitomi coaxed.  
  
p"Alright, now where to begin…"  
  
p"Lavia was founded over four hundred years ago by a small group of draconians who wished for a refuge for their kind. Back then, this land was said to be inhabited by huge creatures, dragons. These true-dragons, as they were called, were not like the usual ones seen on the mainland. They were intelligent, with their own traditions and language, and culture really. But even with the wisdom the race possessed, they were dying. They had come from another world to this one to escape a plague, but most of thoughs who had escaped were old and there had been few births in the new world. The leader of the draconians made a pact with the true-dragons, that creatures would be protected on these islands. In return, the true- dragons granted the draconians and their descendents the larger island of Lavia. Being few in number, the true-dragons retreated to one of the smaller islands, the Drian isle. (Dria meaning Dragon in their language.) With their dwindling power they shrouded the island in mist so that none but the descendents of the draconians, who had been now named the Dragon Clan because of this treaty, could enter. For hundreds of years the country of Lavia thrived. The Dragon family branched out into smaller clans. One of these, the Drian Clan, became the ruling clan of Lavia. From among the branched out draconian clan came a second powerful kin- group, the Phoenix Clan. These two clans lived in peace, helping each other and the many refugee draconians from the mainland… until eleven years ago, when the friendship turned into bitterness. The new leader of the phoenix clan, Asgaurd, became jealous of the dragon king and plotted to over through him. Under his anonymous influence, much of the population turned against the king as well. He told them lies, like the king was planning to wipe out the humans living in Lavia and make it a place where only draconians could live. In that year, Asgaurd attacked the royal family, assassinating the entire clan publicly. He seemed to have a sick desire to demonstrate his absolute power in the most savage ways. Since then, Lavia hasn't prospered as well as it used to. The fall harvests, for one, haven't been as good, and most of the cities have been in a constant state of martial law. With the army stretched thin throughout the island, it's no wonder Aloran managed to step in and take the capital. The Lavian army couldn't have reached it in time with a strong enough force to counter the siege. Now all that's left here are power-hungry Zaibach minions, a few pathetic bands of hopeless rebels, and a whole lot of lost culture. Well, that's pretty much all I know of the history of Lavia." Lia broke off her story abruptly, stood up, and walked towards her tent. The small black kitten ran towards her. Lia crouched and picked it up. Settling the kitten on her shoulder she turned and smiled sadly at the group behind her. Looks like I've made some friends after all.  
  
p*Of course you have.* To Lia, the meowing most people heard from her kitten sounded like talking.  
  
p*I know I know Amana, it's strange though, I've never had any real friends.*  
  
p*That's because you've never met anyone as strange as your self*  
  
p*Oh shut up!* Lia could have sworn the cat was smirking through its whispers.  
  
p  
  
pVan had been thoroughly shocked by the story, mostly because his own mother had been part of the Phoenix clan. He lay back on the grass. Thank God she wasn't there when it happened, he thought. He heard someone move nearby. Sitting up, he saw Hitomi making her way over to Lia's tent. He was so glad Hitomi had come back. He'd missed her. Even though they could have communicated telepathically, it wasn't the same as being together.  
  
p  
  
pHitomi pulled back the canvas flap that made up Lia's tent door. The kitten looked up, and then bounded over to her. Hitomi picked up the little black ball of fluff and stepped inside. Lia looked up, surprised. "Lia, can I talk to you?" Lia looked a little confused.  
  
p"Sure. What about?"  
  
p"Um, have you told us everything?" Lia looked even more confused.  
  
p"What do you mean?"  
  
p"Are you keeping something from us?" Hitomi ventured timidly. Lia turned away.  
  
p"Everyone has their secrets, Hitomi. You of all people should know that." Hitomi did a double take.  
  
p"What's that supposed to mean?" Hitomi asked, unsure. Lia smiled sadly.  
  
p"You have your secrets to protect. So do I. A gift isn't always accepted and sometimes it's used against you. You're only safe if you hide it." Hitomi frowned.  
  
p"Look, I saw you heal those blisters on the way to Port Orian. Millerna told me that with the kind of wounds Jeris had, he should have been unconscious for days. Just tell me, can you heal or not?"  
  
p"You can see the past and future, so why are you so surprised to find another with similar gifts?"  
  
p"You mean you can heal!"  
  
p"That and other things as well," Lia replied, mysteriously. Hitomi frowned again.  
  
p"If you wanted to hide it, then why tell me?"  
  
p"Mages know when they can trust other mages," Lia said knowingly.  
  
p"Mages, what's that supposed to mean?" Hitomi asked in an overwhelmed voice. Lia sighed.  
  
p"This is how it happened for me. Four years ago I met a man in the village. He invited me to his home and showed me what I could do if only I had the training. I snuck off the farm every second I could to go to him. Mage-craft fascinated me. To make a long story short, I found it to be my calling, so to speak. Do you know what the crystal on this pendant represents?" Hitomi shook her head quietly.  
  
p"This is called a Mage-crystal. It is the mark of a fully trained Master Mage. These days almost no one remembers what it means."  
  
p"Then why hide it? I didn't have to hide my powers."  
  
p"And that caused havoc. I realized that not only was the irrational fear of people dangerous, but the ambition. Those who can see past their fear often see the possibilities that lie in controlling the power I hold." Lia looked away sadly.  
  
p"How did you find out about me then?" Hitomi found Lia's knowledge unnerving.  
  
p"The day we left for the city we spoke shortly. You went into a state of shock for a few minutes. Being able to come back from a shocked state like that without being hurt means you must have had a vision."  
  
p"I did…"  
  
p"And?"  
  
p"Well…" What if she gets mad at me? Or worse, decides to bewitch me? Hitomi cringed at the possibilities.  
  
p"Hitomi, I can help you learn how to use your powers to their full extent, but not if you don't trust me. I already know the vision had something to do with me and the past."  
  
p"How? Can you read my mind, too?"  
  
p"No, if I could I'd know exactly what you saw. I tried to snap you out of shock but I caught a small flash of your thoughts instead. That's how I knew for sure that you were having a vision."  
  
p"Oh."  
  
p"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to," Lia said quietly, realizing this must be a bit overwhelming for a young foreigner. Hitomi looked up, than smiled.  
  
p"Thank you, I'll go now."  
  
p"Alright…See you tomorrow."  
  
p  
  
pThe lights from the various tents went out one by one, but a single soul had found sleep to be impossible. Van paced through the trees, unaware and unconcerned as to where he was going. He only knew that he needed some time alone. So much had happened in such a short time, that it seemed as if they had gone back to the war two years ago. He felt the need to return home to Fanelia so strongly that he wondered if something was wrong there. Were the events of two years ago returning to haunt them all? If so, would they be able to stop their new enemy before it was to late? Van reached the edge of the cliff they were camped on. He pulled off his shirt and allowed his feathery white wings to emerge. Flying always calmed him down. He circled the sleeping camp until his wings began to feel heavy. Landing quietly he retrieved his shirt from the tree he had hidden it in and started to walk back to camp. As he approached, he saw Hitomi huddled by the dying embers of the fire. She looked up startled when she heard him, then smiled softly. "Couldn't sleep either?" Van grinned; Hitomi always seemed to understand him.  
  
p"No, I couldn't."  
  
p"Worried about something?" she asked. Van's face fell.  
  
p"I just feel like we should be back in Fanelia by now. I can't shake the feeling that something's wrong, and I'm ignoring my obligation to be there…"  
  
p  
  
pThe next morning, Hitomi had a talk with Allen about returning home. It seemed he had a similar idea. Now she would just have to try to convince the Lavians to come help them. The four slayer boys agreed, anything to get out of the clutches of Aloran and his minions, though Aethan wanted to stop at his home on the way and Jeris seemed up for it. Now she just had to talk to Lia.  
  
p  
  
pHitomi found her packing her tent and supplies. Lia looked up as she approached. "I heard you guys were leaving for Fanelia today," Lia started out. Hitomi looked at her.  
  
p"We are… and I was wondering if you'd join us," Hitomi said, hope in her voice. Lia smiled.  
  
p"I'd be honored. I've always wanted to see Fanelia."  
  
p"Great! See you on the Crusade!" Hitomi walked away. Soon, she reassured herself, soon they'd be in Fanelia.  
  
p  
  
pThe levy-ship descended in the pure country breeze near a small farm around mid-day. From the air, it looked peaceful and quaint enough, but once they had landed, they saw that the farmhouse had been burnt out. Aethan, hysterical and in tears ran inside, searching for any clue that could tell him what had happened to his family. Van and Hitomi began searching through the charred remains of the barn. Hitomi saw a shadow from behind her and turned, shrieking. Hearing her, Van leapt to his feet, sword drawn, and raced across the burnt floor. As he approached he saw a small girl about Merle's age holding an old hunting knife to Hitomi's throat. She was small, with dark hair and eyes that reminded Hitomi of a stormy tropical sea. Even with her size, she looked determined enough to harm them. "Let go of her!" he yelled. The girl turned and glared at him.  
  
p"What do you want here? We have nothing for you to take, so go away!"  
  
p"We're looking for the family of a friend of ours. Now let her go!" Van glared at her, madness in his eyes. The girl lowered her dagger a bit.  
  
p"You're not bandits?" she said in a slightly relived tone. Van sighed and lowered his sword. No need to scquewer the girl for that.  
  
p"Now will you let her go?" he asked patiently. The girl lowered her dagger all the way and allowed Hitomi to stand up. As Van approached the two, he heard a loud noise. Aethan ran through the door and pulled the girl into a tight hug. Van and Hitomi looked at each other and winced.  
  
p"Aletta! You're ok!" relief flooded Aethan's features.  
  
p"I was until you started squeezing the life out of me," muttered the girl named Aletta.  
  
p"Wait a minute…" A voice sounded from the door. "You never told us you were a…" Lia's voice was cut off by Aethan's glare.  
  
p"Let's go outside," suggested Aletta.  
  
p  
  
pOnce outside, Aethan let go of his sister and dragged Lia into a more concealed area. "Ow, what was that for?" she whispered. Aethan was still glaring at her.  
  
p"You don't have to spread your findings to the world you know," Aethan hissed. Lia rubbed her sore shoulder.  
  
p"Well, you could have told me you were draconian," she mumbled.  
  
p"Just because Aletta's name means 'Winged One' doesn't mean we're draconian," he said indignantly. Lia grinned.  
  
p"Nice try, I already knew," she taunted. Aethan sighed.  
  
p"Damn you mages and your powers," he grumbled. Lia looked startled, then smirked.  
  
p"You were the one eavesdropping on my little conversation with Hitomi. I'm not that much of an idiot you know…" She grinned dangerously at him. Aethan took a step back.  
  
p"Well, so I was… I'm going to live… right?" Lia just glared.  
  
p"For now," she said haughtily, and stalked out of their hiding place.  
  
p  
  
pVan and Hitomi were sitting on a half burnt bench listening to Aletta's story.  
  
"Last week a group of bandits came through and killed everyone. They burned everything and stole the livestock. I was at the neighbors farm when it happened else I would have been killed to." Aethan and Lia had heard the last part.  
  
p"So mother and father are…"  
  
p"Sorry Aethan, they're dead." Aletta let a few glistening tears fall to the still warm earth. Hitomi bowed her head. Van stood and looked at Aletta.  
  
p"I'm sorry for your loss. If you want you can join us, we're headed for Fanelia." Aletta's face brightened as much as a saddened child's face could.  
  
p"You mean where dragons guard the land? That Fanelia?" she asked, with a glimmer of hope chiming in her dead voice. Van smiled.  
  
p"Yes, my home."  
  
p"You mean I can come? Of course I'll join you!" Aethan grinned at his sister. He had expected that reaction. Ever since she was little, Aletta had been obsessed with dragons. Of all the places in Gaea the only places that had ever interested her were the Drian Isle, realm of the true- dragons, and Fanelia, the country guarded by land-dragons. She had been so obsessed that Aethan had nicknamed her Aletta Ryo Alma, Aletta Dragon Soul. She had immediately taken that name as her own. Now Aletta would finally get part of her wish fulfilled.  
  
p  
  
pWith their new recruit in tow, the crew of the Crusade set sail for the mainland. Jeris had recovered completely by the time they reached Palas. As they left the Crusade for a night, he couldn't help but notice that both Lia and Aletta were staring goggle-eyed at the bustling market place. Farm girls, he thought, and sighed.  
  
p  
  
pMillerna and Dryden led the group through the busy market place to the castle. Once there they were led to separate rooms by some of the servants. Aletta, after being shown where her room was, escaped to explore the palace. Having an insanely good sense of direction, she managed not to get lost. She carefully made her way down to the kitchen only to find her brother had beaten her.  
  
p"Hey sis, get lost?" he asked.  
  
p"No, the servant took forever about showing me where my room was and then insisted on knowing if I wanted anything." Aletta grinned. "You did leave some for me didn't you?" Aethan looked towards the basket of fruit beside him. On top were strawberries, his favorite. He slipped them into a napkin and then handed the bowl to his sister. She gave him a questioning look, then picked up one of the oranges.  
  
p  
  
pLia's late-night exploration took her into the elaborate castle gardens. From the balcony she could see hundreds of small walled grounds decked out with flowers of all kinds. Her favorite, she decided, was a tiny garden filled with tiny white roses and small purple flowers she had never seen before in her life. It was there that Jeris found her.  
  
p  
  
pHe had been looking for the chance to speak with her alone since he had been strong enough to walk, but every time he tried either Aletta or Hitomi walked in. Lia saw him and smiled in that quiet, despairing, yet hopeful way of hers. Her smile, it was one of his favorite things about her. She always looked so timeless, but still adorable with that small grin of hers. (Jeris, enough sappiness! Jeris: "Live with it") Jeris walked towards the bench she was sitting on and sat down on the edge. Lia looked up, a little confused, and then slid closer to rest her head on his shoulder. "Hi," he said, "Um, Lia? Can I talk to you?" Lia looked curiously at him.  
  
p"About what?" Jeris grinned shyly at her.  
  
p"You remember the day I left? You know, three months ago?"  
  
p"Yeah, why?"  
  
p"You remember what I asked you?" Lia sighed.  
  
p"Yeah…" she answered. Jeris looked down, and gritted his teeth.  
  
p"Well… I meant what I said. I want to marry you." (Jeris, *sighs* great job buddy) Lia sighed yet again.  
  
p"Jeris, you know I feel the same way, but now… now things are a little more complicated." Jeris was the one with the confused look now.  
  
p"What do you mean? We've always been together, ever since I met you…"  
  
p"Jeris, before, the only real problem with this was the difference in our social classes, but now… unless one of your older brothers turns up alive your going to be king."  
  
p"So, why should that make a difference? We've always said 'screw the class system'. That was one of the reasons that I… that I love you so much Lia! We think the same. We're meant for each other, so who cares what everyone else says!" Lia looked at him with sad, tired eyes.  
  
p"Jeris, think about it. The king of Lavia can't go marrying some farm girl on a whim. If it were any consolation, were this possible, I'd say yes." Jeris gripped Lia's arms tightly.  
  
p"Lia, I don't want to lose you…" he said, panic rising in his voice. Lia leaned into his embrace, smiling against his chest with tears in her eyes.  
  
p"I feel the same, but if you were crowned the best I could ever be is your mistress, and I won't sink to that level. Don't worry," she smiled at him, brushing his scruffy hair from his face. "We've always had each other. This thing that we have is never going to end. I know you better than anyone… and I just know we'll get through this, somehow…" Jeris gently tilted her chin up.  
  
p"I couldn't ask you to do that for me. I could never do that to someone I love. At least we'll be together until this is resolved." He leaned closer until his lips touched Lia's. She pulled away; her eyes screwed shut, and collapsed on the cold stones. Tears streamed down her face. "Lia, what's wrong?" The hopelessness of their relationship had finally taken hold of her "Don't cry. We'll get through this, we always have. Lia just shuttered sobbing quietly against his warmth.  
  
p"It's… It's just not fair!" she cried. "How come everyone I love is so far away?"  
  
p"Don't talk like that," Jeris said, embracing her more fiercely. It scared him to see her like this. "I'll take care of it, don't worry… shhhh," he cooed, rocking her back and forth.  
  
p"Woo Hoo!!! Go Jeris!!!" A voice sounded from across the garden. The two lovers looked up to see Yaren, Aethan and Aletta sitting atop one of the hedges. Yaren was yelling at the top of his lungs while Aethan and his sister shared a bowl of fruit between them. (Ah… the powers of the authoress. Hehe.) Jeris and Lia blushed as red as one of the strawberries in Aethan's hand.  
  
p"Woo Jeris I never knew you had it in you!" yelled Aethan, popping another strawberry into his mouth. Jeris, still blushing slightly, frowned and pulled Lia back into his arms.  
  
p"Well then…" He pulled Lia into a more passionate kiss. Lia pulled away and smacked him playfully. Jeris cocked his head, confused. Lia sighed,  
  
p"Well, we might as well give them something to spread around…" She kissed him back, just as deeply. Yaren, Aletta and Aethan were howling at the top of their lungs, and when things began to get a little more than PG, they broke off. Lia winked. "Let's go inside, these characters are ruining the atmosphere." They left arm in arm with their audiences' laughter following them.  
  
p  
  
pVan heard the bouts of raucous laughter from the garden and followed the noise. In a small walled garden he found Yaren, Aethan and Aletta on the ground howling with mirth. When they saw Van they stopped abruptly, blushing in embarrassment. "What happened here?" asked Van. Yaren broke out in helpless gasping giggles all over again. Aethan, who was a little calmer, tried to explain.  
  
p"Well, we were eavesdropping on Lia and Jeris, and the conversation got a little too sentimental for our taste, so we climbed up on the hedges and cheered them on." Aethan broke out laughing with that last comment.  
  
p"You really should have seen them, they played along like it was no big deal," giggled Aletta. "Did you know they're betrothed?" Van looked confused.  
  
p"Err… no."  
  
p"Well they are, and it looks like it's getting a bit complicated." Aletta was still giggling, but the happiness was a little quieter now. Van sighed,  
  
p"You better get inside, it'll be dark soon." He turned and walked back into the castle, shaking his head.  
  
p  
  
pDuring this, amusing fiasco, preparations were being made to bring Van and the rest back to Fanelia as quickly as possible. Allen had agreed, after a bit of tactfully supplied pressure, to fly them there on the Crusade. His sister, Celena, would stay at the palace until he returned. Allen was a little reluctant. Even though the flight to Fanelia would take less than a day, he still didn't like leaving his sister. (Jade's (my editor) note: separation anxiety eh() Once Van and the others had been brought home, Austuria would begin sweeping the countryside for any signs of the rebels who had destroyed Lavia. In Fanelia, Van would organize a similar search. It was agreed that, if possible, the rebels should be found and taken into custody before the situation escalated.  
  
p  
  
pEarly the next morning, the Crusade left for Fanelia. Millerna, Dryden and Celena saw them off as they flew over the cliffs surrounding the city of Palas. Lia and Aletta couldn't tear their faces away from the broad windows. Neither had ever been to the mainland before. Jeris just watched them with a small grin on his face. He remembered going to Fanelia when he was very young to visit his aunt, Varie. Some of his favorite memories were of the pranks he and Van had played on Folken, Van's brother. He remembered flying with his two cousins over the Fanelian Mountains for as long as they could without being caught. Varie had always been a strict, but caring mother. Jeris had spoken little to Van since they had met again. His younger cousin was often busy with something or another. (By the way, if you haven't caught on yet… Jeris is nineteen, not seventeen) Ah well, he thought, when we get to Fanelia we can get this whole thing sorted out. He looked up when he heard Aletta exclaim with joy as they reached the Fanelian border. Soon, hopefully soon, this would all by resolved.  
  
p  
  
pAuthor's note: Like? Well keep reading if you do! Yet again I seem to need to publicize the fact that Crusade is the name of Allen's levy-ship(. That and a disclaimer… I do not… I repeat, DO NOT own Escaflowne or any of the pre made characters!!!! My new characters are mine though!! Now one may have them without my express permition and their consent. (I don't run a slave circus here () I do not own any of the original Esca characters… I blatantly stole them for my story from who ever owns the copyright to the show. Thank you… I'm done ranting now! See ya!!! 


	3. Deception

Four Souls:  Deception

Author's Note: 10/24/03: Alright, technically I'm not horribly proud of this story anymore, as it was written when I was… oh, 13-14.  But I just wanted to at least finish it off.  Since the story is actually finished, I will post the remaining chapters, just to get it done and up.  Hope you enjoy, regardless of the far to many original characters and screwyness.

PS: all other author's notes are from when I actually wrote the series.  This one was just changed to give an update…

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            Van sighed heavily.  Ever since he had returned to Fanelia messengers had poured through the gates, eager to speak with him or his generals.  Three days, that was all it had been since their return and already he had held audience for at least 50 different emissaries from other provinces.  Each one bore the same message: _Bandit attacks have grown more frequent then usual, please send aid._  Van knew what was behind this; it had to be Aloran's troops.  The rebel general had been altogether to quiet lately and the attacks seemed too synchronized to have been an uprising of the usual rebel bands.  What worried him the most was the lack of attacks on Fanelia.  There had been one or two outlaw assaults, (Jade's note: 0_0 was it gene? ^_^(she's an Outlaw Star fan…)) nothing out of the ordinary, but all of the culprits had been found and either executed or sentenced to life in prison.  

The most disturbing part was the lack of attacks by one of Fanelia's more infamous bandits, Marek.  Van had been sending men out to find him for months.  Those who came back alive told stories of horrific proportions.  Many mentioned a monster with golden eyes and fangs; some even went far enough to say he was a demon.  Van had guessed he must be some sort of beast-man.  His old friend Rhum, had sent scouts out as well to find this man and so far none had returned.  The only thing that kept Van from hunting this madman down himself was his advisors.  Marek's lack of appearance lately bothered Van intensely.  It was almost certain that he had joined Aloran, and now both were plotting against Fanelia, but there was no sign of where they had gone.  It was a mystery he'd have to figure out soon, or else Fanelia might suffer a severe blow.  

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            Lia had been unusually distant since their arrival.  She'd go off on her own for hours at a time, just wandering the forests.  The last two nights, Amana had seen her wake up screaming in the night, but Lia'd never mention it.  This was one of those times when Amana severely wished she could speak to other humans.  Lia seemed to be the only one with a gift for mind speech.  She knew Van and Hitomi could mind speak with each other, but their telepathy didn't seem to extend beyond that.  Aletta, now that girl showed some promise.  If Amana could get Lia to train her, than maybe she'd be able to mind speak as well.  Aurg!  Mages!  They were so secretive it was infuriating.  Why couldn't they just admit they needed human companions?  

Amana had nearly sworn to scratch Lia's eyes out if she turned Jeris down one more time.  He was a perfect match for her.  Now if only that would get through Lia's thick mage head!  Lia had often told her that a relationship between the two of them would only end in heartbreak.  So what?  A fully trained Master Mage would be easily of equal status to a younger prince.  But no, Lia had told her many a time that humans wouldn't accept a mage as a prospective princess.  It all had to do with Lia's low rank.  If she had been noble born, than things might have been different.  How could Amana tell Lia that she was noble born, that her mother had been one of the most powerful mages in the realm?  Lia would never believe it and if she did, the news would shock the girl beyond all hope.  How could she tell Lia that her true destiny lay as heir to the dragon clan?  This whole mess was going to take a lot of work…

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            Aletta followed Merle through the palace gardens.  The cat-girl had been guiding her around the palace, showing her all the choice catnap spots (sounds good ^_^).  As the two approached the gateway to an old shrine, they saw Lia enter.  The girls hid behind the wall to watch.  Lia continued towards the Fanelian family shrine.  She seemed more distracted then usual, appearing to glance at things moving about in the air.  She opened her mouth, as if speaking to something only she could see.  Aletta and Merle were to far away to make out her words, but they heard the rustling in the bushes behind them quite clearly.  "What are you two doing here?" asked Van.  

"Um, nothing… Merle was just giving me a tour," Aletta stammered.  Van glanced at them, and then looked through the gateway to where Lia stood.  

"What's going on?"  

"We don't know, Lia just walked in like she was in a trance or something and started talking to air."  Merle's tail was twitching.

"She's not talking to air, I think she can see the spirits who dwell here," Van said quietly.

"Spirits?" Aletta looked wide-eyed to where Lia stood.  A ripple in the air in front of her caught Aletta's eye.  There was something there!  Aletta blinked, and the movement disappeared.  "There…there really are spirit's there."  Van nodded, and then began walking toward the shrine.  He stopped as he got close enough to see whom Lia was speaking to.  Why was Lia talking to Folken's spirit?  Both Lia and Folken turned when they heard him gasp.  Folken smiled and beckoned him closer.  

_It's been a while, Van. _

"Brother?  What's going on?" 

"Your brother was telling me about Aloran.  It seems they worked together for some time."  Lia didn't seem so distant now.  

_He was an ambitious one.  If he'd had the opportunity, I'm sure he would have tried to take control of Zaibach.  He didn't have the contacts I had. _  

"So you knew Aloran?"  Van asked, confused again.  

_Yes, for a short time.  He was one of the lower ranked sorcerers working under Dornkirk.  He was involved in many of the fate-experiments done on children.  Possibly even Dilandau's. _

"So that's how he knew what to do with Jeris."  Lia was deep in thought, worry creasing her face.  

_Most likely.  I have to admit, the idea was ingenious.  To create a telepathic bond between a person and their gymelef without the need to merge would have some extreme advantages.  _Van was shocked.  

"You mean he has the same kind of control I have with Escaflowne, but doesn't feel the gymelef's pain?"  

_Exactly. _

"But why chose Jeris?  I mean a prince wouldn't be easy to find," said Lia.  

The royal family of Lavia traditionally has gifts of their own.  Now the Phoenix family has nowhere near as much power as the Dragon family, but both have draconian blood, and therefore the potential for unusual abilities.  It's very possible that Jeris was telepathic before he was kidnapped, and Aloran somehow extended the gift to his gymelef.  It's obvious that Aloran was trying to create a fighter who could destroy Escaflowne if it were necessary.  If Aloran were after the kind of power Zaibach had two years ago, then Escaflowne would be considered an obstacle to overcome.   

"But Escaflowne is still asleep," explained Van, hoping to keep his gymelef safe.

Aloran doesn't know you won't reawaken it.  Jeris was probably being used as a precaution.  I'm guessing that Jeris had a stronger gift than Aloran had expected if he's in Fanelia. 

"That or just a very stubborn mind.  A non-gifted person can still break a memory spell if they have help and if their mental power exceeds the power put into the charm.  Jeris never had a gift worth training though," said Lia.

You're the mage.  I suppose you know more about that matter then I.  I'm presuming you helped him free. 

"I did, Aloran's spell was a bit sloppy," said Lia, snickering softly.

_Aloran created the spell?  I never knew he was a mage. _

"Not a very good one, he seemed a little out of practice."

_I'm going to have to think this over…  _

"Then we'll see you again sometime."  Lia smiled as Folken began to disappear.  Van gazed after his brother's spirit, than turned to look at Lia.

"How did you know?" 

"Know what?" Lia asked.

"How are you able to see them?"  Lia grinned at Van's question.

"It's a basic part of mage-craft.  I've always been able to see them.  A sign of a potential mage is the ability to see spirits and other elemental creatures."  Van glanced at the gateway, where Aletta and Merle were still watching.  

"Let's go," he said.           

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Later that evening Van found Hitomi in the halls.  He hadn't really had a chance to speak with her since they'd arrived.  He'd been busy with state matters.  Hitomi looked up at him as he approached.  "Van, are you ok?" the shorthaired girl asked.  

"I'm fine, just confused," said Van, knowing he couldn't hide his feelings, or his tired spirit, from her even if he wanted to.  Hitomi cocked her head.  

"What's wrong?" she asked.  Van let out an exasperated sigh.  

"I don't know, Lia's confusing me again," he said, shaking his head.  Hitomi giggled.

"She seems to have that effect on most of us.  What's bothering you?  You seem, I don't know, distant."  Van sat down on the windowsill.

"I don't get it, but for some reason I feel like I've met her before.  I know I've met Jeris.  I mean, most people have met their cousins sometime in their life.  He remembers it, but with me and Lia, it's like we know each other but neither of us can remember meeting."  He squinted at the polished floor-stones, trying and failing to picture they're meeting.  

"Maybe you were very young," said Hitomi, trying to help.

"Maybe, but how is that possible if she's never been out of Lavia?"  Hitomi was about to comment when she slipped into a vision trance.  She was in Fanelia, in the back garden of the palace actually.  She could see Van and his brother Folken, all many years younger.  With them were Varie, the woman Hitomi had seen in the vision of the boat and her children, and another woman with a son.  Varie called out to her sons to come greet their guests.  Folken had obviously recognized the unknown boy, who looked a bit like Jeris, but much younger.  Varie and the strange woman embraced as if they were family.  The other three were greeted more formally.  The woman and Varie embraced as friends, not family and the children either bowed or, in the girl's case, curtsied wobbling.  Van and the boy who Hitomi guessed to be young Jeris beckoned to the third boy and the little girl who both followed them.  On that note the vision ended.  Van was looking at her, a bit worried, but understanding.  

"What did you see?" he asked 

"I think you may have met Lia before, with her older brother.  I had a vision where they were here, in Fanelia with Jeris and your aunt I think.  You and Folken were in the garden and your mother introduced you to them."  Hitomi was feeling a little faint.  Van, noticing her wobbly stance, pushed away from the window and led her towards a hall bench.  Hitomi smiled, gratefully. 

"How did you know it was Lia?" Van asked.

"I've had other visions of her past.  Always when she's under the age of six.  You know, it's sad, but Lia doesn't remember anything before her seventh birthday.  I wonder what it would be like to have no idea who your real parents are…" Hitomi trailed off.  

"It's possible there's more to her than she or any of us know.  Now that you mention it, I do remember that meeting vaguely.  I think I was five.  Aunt Malana and Jeris visited with the queen of Lavia and her two youngest children.  But, if that were true than wouldn't that mean…"

"Yes, it would mean that Lia is the true heir to the Lavian throne.  It does mean that."

"You don't mean these visions are true do you?" Van was completely shocked.

"My visions have never lied to me.  I know it sounds crazy, so lets just keep it to our selves for now."

"Good idea," said Van, "Do you need any help getting back to your room?" 

"No I'm fine, thanks though."  Hitomi got up to leave  "Van?" she said timidly, turning shyly around to face him.  Van looked at her quizzically.  Hitomi smiled.  "Thanks for listening."    

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Another messenger arrived at sundown.  Van saw him in the throne room.  "Your majesty Van Slanzar de Fanel, I bear a message from a merchant convoy requesting the assistance of a healer," said the man, nervously.  It was apparent that the courier didn't know how to act around royalty.  

"What is the situation?" Van asked.

"I thank you for hearing our plea milord," (Van was visibly groaning from the pleasantries.) "Our leader has taken ill through an infection.  We would request that a skilled healer be sent back with us to tend to him.  He has been ill for seven days now and the infection is too far along for our own healer to handle."  Van turned to see Lia stepping out from behind a curtain near the wall, obviously eavesdropping.  Van was just hoping she would keep the situation official.  Lia spoke up with a slight bow.

"With your leave, your majesty, I will handle the situation."  Van was relived to find she knew how to handle herself during a formal meeting.

"I thank you.  Sir, this is Lia-ani Landen, a visiting healer.  She will help you.  If it is convenient, you will leave in the morning."  The messenger bowed and was led out by one of the guards.  Van relaxed deeply, losing himself in the oversized throne.  

"I get the impression that you don't like formal confrontations much," said Lia, approaching the impressive dais.  

"Two years, and I'm still not used to this.  By the way, why did you want to go with him?" 

"I think I've seen him before in Port Orian and, if I recall correctly, there is no trading convoy that runs between Lavia and Fanelia.  I want to see what's really going on."  Lia was smirking with pleasure at her own cunning.

"If there's something behind this than you shouldn't go alone," said Jeris from a chair near the wall.  He tried, but failed to hide his frustrated frown.  He didn't like the situation.  Lia and Van both balked, neither had seen him.  "I'm going with you."  Van stared rather dumbly for a moment, then regained his composure an explained in an annoyed voice,

"Jeris, we can't risk the only known heir to the Lavian throne in a situation like this!  If you're killed, then your people will be without anyone to unite them."

"I can take care of myself, Jeris.  Van's right, you're safer here," Lia spoke just as forcefully.  Jeris stood up and walked swiftly over to them.  He directly met Lia's gaze.

"Lia, if you get yourself killed over this I'll never forgive you for going alone."  Lia looked down.

"Jeris… they know I'm a mage.  They wouldn't have asked for a healer that skilled if they had expected someone without a healing gift.  I have no need to hide my powers from them."  The muffled thump of hearing oaken doors closing sounded across the room as the four former dragon slayers walked in.

"If your worried Jeris, we'll go with her," called Aethan.  Jeris looked at them.  

"You're sure?  You'll keep her safe for me?"  Jeris sounded worried now.  

"Don't worry, we weren't chosen to be slayers because we're pushovers," Mandan grinned ferociously.

"Alright, then you'll leave tomorrow morning."  Van ended the discussion.  Jeris glared at his cousin, but left quietly with Lia behind him.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The next morning saw Lia and the slayer boys up early.  They met the messenger at the palace gate and set off on horseback.  It turned out that the trading convoy was closer to the capital than they had expected.  This made Lia even more cautious.  If the messenger's people were trustworthy, they would have brought their leader to the capital instead of leading them out into the woods.  Aethan shared her concerns.  The situation didn't look secure.  The camp itself seemed comfortable and safe, but that only troubled the small group more.  Yaren discreetly counted the number of men in the convoy, calculating the odds.  Mandan rode up beside him.  "How does it look?" the bigger boy asked.  

"Not good, there's to many for us alone.  You think they planned this?" Yaren questioned, feeling more and more paranoid.

"Wana bet money on that?"  Yaren grinned at his friend in response.

"There's no point, I always win anyway," Yaren said, shamelessly bragging. Mandan sighed.

"That's only cause you cheat," said Mandan.  Yaren's grin widened.

"Hey, what's a thief to do?  Heads up, someone's coming."  The pair urged their mounts to catch up to the other three of their band.  The group was approached by two young men from the main tent.  Both were unarmed, other than the odd matching metal staffs griped in their hands.  Lia pulled up next to Aethan and Owean.  

"They're mages, I'll bet my gift on that.  They're really ready for us this time," she cautioned them under her breath.  The taller of the two young men spoke up.  

"You are the healer?" he asked, fixing his unnerving silver gaze on hers.  Lia nodded.  "Then come with us please."  Lia dismounted and followed the two supposed mages.  Aethan and Owean tried to follow her but she shook her head, motioning for them to stay put.  Lia was led into a small tent.  In the center, on a surprisingly unimpressive wooden cot, lay an older man.  Lia knelt down and checked his pulse; only to lay hands on cold, limp flesh.  

"This man has been dead for at least two days…" she stated calmly without turning around.  "I've had enough of this game." 

"Serves you right for being so gullible.  You were easy to fool."  The younger mage was grinning.  Lia twisted her mouth into a cold grin.

"You think I couldn't tell this was a trap?  You're the fools.  You basically told me you knew of my powers by asking me to come.  It was obvious."  

"You think we'll give you a chance to use them?"  The two released blots of lighting at Lia, hitting her before she could react.  The power of the blasts knocked her unconscious.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Jeris jumped up with a start, nearly upsetting his glass of wine.

"What's wrong?"  The group at the dinner table was looking at him strangely.  He sat down with his head bowed, embarrassed.

"N…nothing, I'm fine."  Hitomi gave him a questioning look, then felt a dark sensation, chilling her to the bone.  She slumped slowly back in her seat.

"Hitomi!  What's wrong?"  Van was out of his chair in an instant.

"A chill… something's happened."  Hitomi looked up at Jeris.  He looked shocked.  He bowed his head again, but not in embarrassment.  

"It's Lia's group, something's gone wrong.  I'm sure of it."  

"How can you tell?" Van asked, looking confused.

"I don't know, but we've got to help them."  Jeris stood up and took off down the hall.  Van ran after him and caught his older cousin's arm.

"Jeris calm down!"  Jeris wrenched himself out of Van's grip.  "Jeris we won't help them by just barging in there!"

"Don't you get it?  Lia's in trouble!  I have to help her, I can't let her go again!"  Van watched, shocked as his cousin's expression turned from anger to defeat.

"Don't give up on her!  Aethan and the others are with her; you have to trust them.  She said it herself, there's nothing keeping her from using her powers.  If anyone can make it, I'm sure she can… if only to get back to you."  Jeris looked at him, confused, then looked down at the cool marble floor.

"I'm sorry, you're right.  She can handle herself, but it's hard.  I feel like I should be there, to take care of her.  I've not been able to protect her like I should."

"You shouldn't beat yourself up about it," piped a new voice.  "I'm sure brother, and the others will be back soon.  We just need to take care of things here until they get back."  The boys looked over their shoulders to see Aletta smiling up at them.  "Lia loves you right?  So then nothing will stop her from coming back, as long as you believe in her."  Jeris smiled at his friend's little sister.

"You're right of course," he sighed.  "They'll all be back.  They'll come back safe, and soon."   

            ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Lia woke in a small, dark tent.  She sat up to see Aethan smiling at her.  Than she noticed her hands were tied behind her; her feet were bound as well.  "You're awake?  Good.  Yaren's still out, but he seems ok.  You're the one we were worried about."

"Worried about what?" Lia asked, sitting up.  Aethan winked at her.

"Hey, Jeris sent us to take care of you right?  We do our job."  Lia blindly examined her bonds.  She grinned relieved; they were just simple ropes, easy to deal with.  A low groan came from the other side of the tent.

"That damn bastard's gonna get it when I lay hands on him!"  Yaren had finally woken up.  Mandan, shocked at his companion's loud words, clamped his hand over Yaren's mouth.  In retaliation, Yaren bit the offending hand. 

"Yow!" Mandan yelped.  "Geez" Owean shushed both of them with a scolding glare.  

"If you three are done, than shut up and let me concentrate!"  Lia hissed, glaring at them.  Her skin began to give off a soft violet ethereal light.  Closing her eyes, she concentrated hard and uttered an incantation.  _Lords of fire hear my call.  Grant me thy power.  _The glow changed from violet to a fiery red.  The ropes binding Lia's feet and hands burst into flames, as did the bonds of her four companions.  Yaren sat up, rubbing his wrists.  Owean and Mandan just stared stupidly at her.  Yaren punched Mandan's arm.

"Shut that hanging trap of yours.  You've seen mage work before."  Mandan secured his jaw and instead rubbed his sore arm.

"Not since the civil war, and I was only seven then," said Mandan, protectively.  Yaren just grinned.

"Looks like I still have the better memory" he scoffed.  Mandan laughed.  Lia was looking at them with a confused face.  

"You've seen this before?  Where?"   Yaren sighed.  

"Figures a farm girl like you wouldn't know.  The dragon queen and her ladies used to be mages.  Every midsummer, they'd put on an incredible show for the children.    They used their powers to send showers of light into the sky in shapes and such.  It was wonderful.  I remember the year before the revolution especially.  The queen brought two of her children with her, the two princesses.  They helped with the show.  The older one could do most of what the ladies could, but the little one, she was about our age I think, she called up this incredible purplish light.  It took shapes like dragons and chased the other lights around the sky."

"Hey!  I remember that!  That was the first festival I went to.  My father took Aletta and me to the fair to sell horses.  It was amazing," said Aethan, obviously lost in a haze of memories.

"I missed it that year, my parents took me to see my aunt instead, and she'd just had a baby, you see."  Mandan was smiling smugly at Yaren.  Owean spoke up.

"I never went to the festivals.  My father always said they were a waste of time.  Must have been fun though.  How about you Lia, did you ever go?"  Lia frowned.

"I don't know, you see I don't remember anything before my seventh birthday.  If I had seen it, then it's a pity I don't remember.  It must have been pretty awesome.  Anyway, now that we're free we have to get out of this camp and back to the capital," she urged.  Yaren glanced towards the door.

"If there were guards they would have come by now, especially if they heard that.  Either they're very drunk…"

"Or just not there," Mandan finished.  He stood up and peeked out the tent flap.  

"You're right, out like a light.  Must have been drinking.  It's clear, let's go."  The five crept out of the tent.  Aethan and Owean picked up the swords of the two guards.  Yearn searched them and found four daggers to use.  He handed two to Mandan, who grinned excitedly and took the offering.  

"Trying to escape I see; foolish."  The two mages stepped out from the trees.

"You'll never get past us."  Aethan hefted his sword and stepped in front of Lia.  The taller mage lifted his hand, sending a burst of lightning their way.  A transparent silver-violet dome materialized around the escapees.  

"Not bad mage, not bad.  But defiantly not good enough!"  The mages released twin bolts this time.  Both were sucked into the shield.  The smaller and probably younger mage glared, and released a stronger blast.  Instead of being absorbed, this time the attack reflected back at the mages.  Both leaped out of the way.  Owean looked back at Lia.  The violet glow had become more of a flame around her.  Her eyes were full of fire and her teeth were gritted in fierce concentration.  A nonexistent wind seemed to blow around her.  Aethan didn't have to look back to know the source of the power protecting them.  The silver-violet light shinned stronger with each blast the two enemy mages threw.  The power around Lia began to collect into a ball between her hands.  

"Everyone!  Duck!" she yelled.  The shield evaporated as she released the violet ball of light.  The trees in front of them exploded.  When the smoke died, the pale flame in Lia's hand illuminated the silent battlefield.  The light reached the wounded body of the younger mage.  The elder had escaped.  Lia walked up to the unconscious boy.  He was no more than fifteen.  She knelt beside him and eased back into her concentration.  _Lords of spirit, hear my plea.  Send me thy healing power._  A soft light collected around the two as Lia's four companions watched.  The light died abruptly.  Lia stood up.    

"He'll be fine, we should bring him with."  Aethan caught her as she collapsed.  "Damn, I over did it again.  It's alright, I just need to eat and rest," she said, smiling shakily, determined not to let her weakness show.  Aethan smiled.  

"Don't you worry about it, we'll get you back in no time.  Come on guys; let's get out of here.  Mandan, can you carry the boy?"  Mandan nodded.  "Let's find some horses and get back as soon as possible."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Jeris was at the gate to meet the group when they returned.  Seeing Lia unconscious, he gently lifted her small, limp form off Aethan's horse and carried her into the palace without a word.  A servant led Mandan into a room to place the young mage.  Yaren discovered his friend there and dragged him down to one of the city's taverns for a drink.  Van watched them go and decided to question them about it later; they seemed to have enough trouble now as it was.  Jeris refused to leave Lia's side until she woke.  Aletta and Merle came in and teased him until he grudgingly consented to break his vigil and eat the food they brought.  The thought made Van grin.  Jeris was a real worrywart sometimes, especially when it came to Lia.  

Yaren and Mandan came back from the city late, both with ridiculously high spirits and disgustingly drunk.  Owean had to go find them (they had gotten lost in the palace halls and collapsed in a giggling heap) to direct them to their quarters.  Aethan had spent most of his time either with his sister or looking after the boy they had brought back.  With some persuasion, Van had gotten the mage-boy's story out of Aletta's stubborn brother and the tale worried him a bit.  What if the boy woke up and tried to kill someone?  He'd have to have a talk with the mage when he awoke.  

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Lia woke up around noon the next day.  She discovered Jeris, asleep in a chair beside her.  She smiled.  Jeris was cute when he slept, just like a little boy.  She poked his knee with a finger.  He jerked awake.

"Huh?  What?  Oh, you're awake!"  He looked relieved.  Lia grinned at him.

"You didn't sleep there the whole night… did you?"  Jeris sighed and nodded.  Lia frowned.  

"You really need to take better care of your self.  I'm a big girl, I don't need a babysitter, and you know that."  Jeris glanced at her, and then hugged her tight.

"I know _you_ don't need anyone else, but I sure as hell can't lose you.  Don't you ever do that to me again.  Do you have any idea how worried I was when you came back unconscious?  I thought you'd been seriously hurt."  Lia smiled at his gruff tone of voice, but seeing him so distressed worried her.  She hugged him back.  

"I'm sorry.  I guess I just overdid it back there.  It's no big deal, nothing we haven't had to deal with before.  I need to get back to my mage work.  I'm sure we'll meet stronger enemies.  I need to be prepared," she said, a mysterious sense of duty overtaking her.  

"You never could sit by and watch, could you?"  Jeris laughed softly.  "Once you're stronger, I'll help you.  We'll probably need as much help as we can get.  Which reminds me…" Lia pulled back and cocked her head at him.

"What?" 

"Young Aletta most likely has a gift of her own."

"Why do you say that?" 

"Your cat, Amana, she can talk right?" 

"Yeah, with thought speech," Lia said in a tired voice.

"I think Amana sensed it.  She's been asking me about it since you left."  Lia grinned.

"If she's right, she'll need training.  That'll defiantly give me the training I need.  I can begin her in basic mage-craft.  Nothing fancy, but enough to help.  If he wants it, I suppose I could help the young weather mage too."  It was Jeris' turn to cock his head in confusion.

"What weather mage?"  Lia giggled.                 

"That boy we brought back.  He and another, older mage were the ones who attacked us.  He was under the same spell you were.  I think he may help us."  Jeris smiled back at her.

"Alright then.  I'll let you rest now."  Jeris stood up to go, but Lia's arm pulled him back.

"Don't go yet.  Please, stay with me?  Until I fall asleep?"  Lia tried to sound commanding, but failed to hide the fear in her voice.  Jeris met her serious gaze and sat back down, holding Lia's hand.  This new helplessness from her scared him a bit.  Lia had never been the needy type; she had to be tough and resourceful to survive Lavia's dangerous turns.  

"Is something wrong?  You know you can tell me," he only hoped she would have the courage to admit a fault.

"Nothing's wrong… I just don't want to be alone," she whispered, frowning at her coverlet.

 "I'll stay as long as you want me to."  Lia smiled and closed her eyes.  She fell asleep almost instantly.  Jeris just looked down at her sleeping form.  He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek, than stood up to go.  _Sleep well; I love you, you know,_ he thought as he left the room.  

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The young mage awoke a few hours later in a small, nicely furnished room.  Seeing he was alone, he sat up and looked around, his dark, longish hair falling in front of his olive colored face.  He pushed the mess back and jumped as the door closed behind him.  "Oh, your awake.  How're you feeling?"  He turned to see a girl about his age with a tray in her hands.  

"Who… who are you?" the boy asked rather sullenly, his silver eyes watching her.

"Oh, me?  My name is Aletta.  What's yours?" asked the girl.

"Asnee… I think.  Where am I?"  Aletta smiled at him.

"You're in the Fanelian palace.  You were hurt and Lia and her friends brought you back.  By the way, do you have a brother?  Aethan, my brother, said they saw two of you, but they only brought you here."  Asnee looked down and clenched his fist.

"Pillan, is he safe?  Pillan's my brother."  Aletta frowned.  

"Hm, I haven't heard of him, but I'll tell Van or Jeris, they'll know what to do."  Asnee smiled.  

"Thanks."

"Are you sure you're ok?" Aletta asked, friendly concern creasing her freckled brow.

"I… I suppose I just need a little while to sort this out," Asnee admitted quietly.

"Yes, well that's to be expected," Aletta replied lightly.  "I'll let you eat and rest now.  I brought you some food.  See you later."  She winked and walked out the door.    

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Aletta met her brother in the hall outside Asnee's room.  

"Hey sis.  How's he doing?" he said.  Aletta smiled at him.

"He just woke up.  You know, he's really nice.  Don't be to hard on him, he didn't mean to hurt you guys, I'm sure of it."  Aethan looked solemnly at his younger sister.

"He may be putting on a front."

"He misses his brother, I think he's ok.  I'm sure he doesn't mean us harm… he's just in a bad situation.  Actually, I think he's taking it rather well.  I think Lia's right.  He had to have been under that spell."  Aethan smiled.

"Alright, for you I'll go easy on him.  But just for you.  Lia wants to talk to him later.  See ya around, and watch out for Yaren and Mandan, they got pretty drunk last night."  Aletta grinned and hugged her brother.

"Thanks!  See ya later!"  Aletta ran off down the hall.  Aethan sighed and opened the door to the young mage's room.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Author's note:  Ohh, I think Aletta kinda likes Asnee.  Let's see how this goes…


	4. Heritage

Four Souls: Heritage

Author's note:  HI!!!

Asnee was sitting at the small table when Aethan walked in.  He glanced up slightly, and then went back to what was left of his food.

"How ya doing?" asked Aethan.  Asnee looked up a bit longer this time.

"Fine, I've got a huge head ache though."  Aethan laughed.  Asnee cocked his head in confusion. 

"I'm not laughing at you.  Jeris felt the same way after he was removed from Aloran's damn memory spell.  Lia was right again."  Asnee looked even more confused.  "To explain, it seems you're memory's been altered.  Our enemy, formally our ally, altered your memory in order to control you and force you to attack us.  Since we didn't find your brother, I'm assuming he's under a similar spell."  

"You know of my brother?" asked Asnee.

"Yes, he escaped the blast Lia let off and ran.  I'm going to have to remember not to get her to mad."  Asnee was puzzled again.

"Who's Lia?  Is she another mage?"  A nock at the door stopped Aethan from answering.  He stood up and opened it.  Lia kinda stumbled in.  Jeris, behind her, steadied her on his arm.  Lia looked up and smiled at him then stepped forward carefully.  

"Sorry, mind if I join you?"  When Aethan nodded, Jeris helped Lia into a chair near by.  Lia's smile took Asnee by surprise.

"Are, um, are you Lia?" he asked.  Lia nodded with a grin.  "I'm sorry, my brother and I gave you so much trouble."

"It's alright, it wasn't your fault.  I want to help you if I can.  The five of us'll be fine."  Asnee looked at her.

"But, weren't you hurt?"  Lia grinned again.

"No, I'm just exhausted.  I haven't been using mage-craft for about a year."

"Than you were the one with the violet aura?"  Jeris and Aethan were both giving her weird looks now.

"Yes, that was me.  Sorry I had to hit you like that."  Jeris was confused now.

"Your aura is _violet_?" he asked.

"Yeah, what's the big deal?"  Lia was getting annoyed.

"Well… never mind," said Jeris.

"I'm going to go back to my room.  Asnee, your names Asnee right?  If you want, I'll help you with your mage-craft.  But only if you want it."  

"I'd like that Lady," said Asnee.  Lia stood up and nearly collapsed on Jeris' arm.  Jeris looked annoyed.  He picked her up and started to carry her out of the room.

"I can walk Jeris!" she yelped.

"To bad, you're to weak to get farther than the main hall anyway."  Jeris was grinning.  Lia crossed her arms and sighed.

"And what's with people calling me 'Lady' all of a sudden."  That got a laugh out of Jeris.  Over hearing from the room, Aethan laughed and buried his face in his hand.  

"What's wrong?  I was just trying to be respectful," said Asnee.

"Nothing, just that I was the last one to call her 'Lady' and I got the same reaction."  Asnee cocked his head again.  

"Isn't she a noble?"  Aethan laughed again.

"No actually, she was raised on a farm."

"Your sure?" 

"Kinda, I wouldn't be surprised if she was born a noble.  After all, she's admitted she can't remember the first six years of her life.  I thought she was one when I first met her to."

"Hm, by the way, who was that girl who came in earlier?  She said her name was Aletta."  Aethan's laugh grew louder.

"That was my younger sister."  Asnee looked shocked.

"Oh, ok.  If you don't mind, could I get some rest now?  I still feel like a mule kicked me in the ribs."  Aethan smiled.

"In a way one did.  I'll go, thank you for helping us."  Asnee fell asleep soon after he left.  Out side the door, Aethan leaned against the wall, gazing at the celing.  _So you like Aletta do you.  Boy if you break my sister's heart, I'll cut you in half._  Aethan stood strait and walked down the hall.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Yaren had woken up that morning with a major hang over.  He was supposed to give a report to Van today, but his head hurt so bad he thought it would be better to wait an hour or two.  Mandan walked in with a grin on his face. 

"Finally awake?"  Yaren groaned.

"Shut up will ya, just because you take alcohol better doesn't give you a reason to be so loud in the morning."  Mandan laughed.

"Actually it's almost noon.  King Van's looking for you, you better get your ass up."  Yaren groaned again.

"I'm up, I'm up."  He pulled on his shirt and walked out the door. (Yes he was shirtless in that scene)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

After hearing Yaren's account of the tale, Van was convinced Aloran was up to something.  Sending mages into Fanelia to try and get rid of Lia made him wonder more about the girl's real past.  Did Aloran know something they didn't?  Was Hitomi right?  And most importantly, what was Lia really capable of?  The door clicked behind him as Jeris walked in.  Van grinned.

"So I'm guessing Lia's fine now."

"Yeah, she's just taking a nap.  Using that much power wore her out."  Van's expression became more serious. 

"Jeris I have to know, who is Lia?"  Jeris looked hard at his younger cousin's face.

"I don't really know, I've had my suspicions for some time now." 

"What suspicions?"

"That Lia might actually be Lia-ani Drilavia, the youngest princess of the dragon clan.  I first became suspicious when I learned her full name.  I mean, Lia-ani isn't exactly a common name is it?  And then there are her powers; the violet tinted aura is very similar to the magic that the youngest princess displayed at the midsummer festival six months before the Civil War started.  Last of all, I knew Lia-ani Drilavia when we were young, hell I'm the one who warned her and her mother about my father's plans.  I don't think I could ever forget those eyes."  

"So you think Lia is the lost princess of Lavia to then."  Jeris nodded.  "Than what do we tell her?" 

"Nothing, Lia needs to find this out on her own.  If we say something like that, she'll never believe us."  It was Van's turn to nod.  Jeris was right, if they told Lia something like this without proof, she might loose her trust in them.  

"Jeris, do you really know what she can do with her powers?"  Jeris looked thoughtful.  

"Kind of, I'm not a mage so I can't say exactly, but she mainly uses it to heal.  That and she can call up any of the five elements to aid her.  I know she can create shields and focus her energy into a weapon of sorts, but other than that I have no idea," he said.  Jeris turned to leave and Van let him go.  Behind the window curtain Merle listened, shocked, at what this information meant.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Back in Asturia (finally got back to these guys) there hadn't been much excitement.  The army was on alert and patrols were sent out regularly to scope the situation.  Aloran seemed to have all but disappeared.  Allen and his men had been stationed at the Asturia/Fanelia boarder to receive and dispatch messengers between the allied countries.  So far there had been no word from Van and those staying in Fanelia.  Dilandau and Miguel had been stationed with the crusade's crew and they had gotten along with the crew surprisingly well.  It almost seemed like Dilandau was regaining his sanity, almost.  They were forced to stop using bonfires because of him.  That and Allen had deliberately picked a campsite near a large lake just incase.  Allen's thoughts were often leaning towards thoughs Fanelian woods.  Why hadn't a messenger come through yet?  Were they lost?  Or had something happened.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Van was getting worried.  He had sent three messengers with in the past two days and none of them had returned.  Maybe he was just being impatient.  Lia and Asnee had both made complete recoveries and were, at the moment, out in the garden working.  Aletta had been dragged with to learn some mage-craft of her own.  At least they all seemed happy.  Hitomi had followed them out to watch.  Jeris and the boys had gone into the town for a break leaving him and Merle alone in the castle.  Van decided to find his childhood friend and go watch the mages.  The corridors were silent, more so than usual since the servants had the day off.  Van turned into a small hallway that led to the kitchen.  A scuffling noise behind him made him turn. 

"Merle?  That you?" he asked when he saw the ears and tail.  The cat-person didn't answer, and it was to dark to make her out well.  He did see the glint off the curved blade though.  Thinking fast, he drew his own sword to parry the blow that would have cut him in half.  He knew it wasn't Merle this was someone else.  Silently he called to Hitomi.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Huh?"  Hitomi jerked up.  Lia looked up from her concentrated pose.  

"What's wrong?"  Hitomi stood up.

"Van, I heard him call me."  Lia looked concerned.  

"Come on."  Grabbing Hitomi's arm, Lia ran for the palace door.  "Aletta!  Use the exercise I taught you to find Van!"  Asnee, seeing the concern, helped Aletta follow the two older women.

"Near the kitchens!  He's in the hall near the kitchens!"  Aletta over took Lia and Hitomi and led them to the hall where they found Van trying to defend himself against someone.  Merle bounded through the door behind them.  

"Merle!  Go for help!  Find Jeris and the boys if you can!" yelled Lia.  Merle ran right out the door with Aletta behind her.  The hall was lit with a piercing light as Asnee released his mage-craft.  It was then that they saw their opponent.  She was a cat, like Merle, with coppery skin and hair.  In her hand was a wickedly curved blade.  Who ever she was, at the rate she was wearing Van down she had to be extremely strong.  Seeing the light, she broke off her attack and fell back, sprinting down the hall towards the door.  Lia, Van, Asnee and Hitomi ran after her.  She led them on a chase out into the garden and finally jumped the palace wall.

"Damn, lost her," said Lia, watching the escaping silhouette.  Van shielded his eyes.  

"We could fly after her."

"No, to dangerous.  Who ever sent her would expect that."  Asnee looked at both of them oddly, but didn't comment.  Hitomi jogged up to Van, looking worried.

"Van, your arm…" The cat female had scored his arm from the shoulder to the elbow.  He hadn't noticed until now.  Lia cupped her hand over his wound.  Van could feel the warmth of her magic flow through his arm, numbing the pain that was setting in.  When she took her hand away, the wound was completely sealed with not even a scar.

"No wonder you asked Dilandau about his scar, you could fix it."  Lia nodded and stumbled back.  Asnee caught her.

"Are you ok?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine, healing open wounds with out calling an element to help takes a lot of energy."

"Oh, let's get inside," said Asnee, helping Lia towards the palace.  Van and Hitomi followed.

"Are you sure you're ok?" Hitomi asked the floppy haired boy.

"Yeah." 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Apparently Merle and Aletta's search for the boys took less time than expected because they were greeted at the door by three very worried seventeen year olds and their nineteen-year-old leader.  Jeris immediately relieved Asnee from taking care of a wobbly Lia and walked her back to her room.  Aethan watched them go, them turned to Asnee.

"What happened?" he asked.

"An assassin, someone's after Van."  Owean finally joined them followed by another man.

"Aethan a messenger just came through from Asturia."  The man behind him came into the light.  It was Redeen, one of Allen's men.  He approached Van.

"Hey king, I've got a message from the commander.  We're stationed at the border.  He's getting worried.  Says no messengers have come out of here.  He wants to know the situation."  Van frowned.

"The 'situation' is getting worse by the day.  First Lia and Jeris' four soldiers were lead into a trap set up by two mages under memory spells and second an assassin was somehow led into the palace with out anyone's knowledge.  I've sent three messengers out in the last two days, none have returned.  The first should have arrived back here by now.  What's the situation in Asturia?"  Redeen looked somewhat disturbed.

"That's it huh, Asturia's been quieter than a feather.  Nothing's happened since we returned from Lavia.  The army's on full alert."

"How did you get through?" asked Asnee.

"Got lucky I guess, hey who are you?"  Hitomi spoke up.

"This is Asnee, the younger of the two mages who were under Aloran's spell.  He's with us now.  Wait, Asnee do you know something about this?"  Asnee lowered his head.

"Not much, I couldn't lead you to the main camp or anything.  Aloran took precautions against his spell being broken.  He has men scattered throughout the forest around the city to stop anyone from getting out."

"Hehe, I bet the air ways are clear," said Aethan.  Yaren caught on and grinned.  Owean didn't seem so enthusiastic.

"Archers?" he asked.  

"I bet," said Mandan.  "They know there's at least one draconian here."  He was looking strait at Van.  Yaren laughed.

"There's more than that.  There's at least four."  Asnee looked completely shocked.

"There are _four_ draconians here?  I thought there were two."  Aethan nodded.

"Five you mean," said Van.

"Wait, there's you, me, Lia and Aletta.  Who else?" asked Aethan.

"Jeris.  He's my cousin on my mother's side which is where my draconian blood comes from."  The four young soldiers were stunned.

"You mean we were being led by yet another winged whacko?" said Yaren.

"You insulting my race?" asked Aethan.

"Ack, not really.  This is getting way to complicated."  Aethan seemed satisfied by Yaren's response.

"Right, now we just need to figure out how to get Redeen here back to Allen's crew alive," said Mandan.  Van nodded.

"Come with me, we need to find a safe escape root."  The boys and Redeen followed Van out of the hallway.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The young mage bowed before the darkened throne.

"I'm sorry Lord Aloran, I failed."  

"It's your fault, Pillan, that your brother is in danger.  He may even be dead at the Fanelian king's hand.  If you fail again it will be your life on the line."  The person of the high chair replied.  Pillan bowed lower.  "Kieran!"  A figure approached from behind Pillan.

"My lord," the figure's voice sounded.  The light reveled the same cat-woman that had attacked Van.

"You also have failed at you mission.  Both of you have one more chance to redeem yourselves, now go until I have found a suitable task for you."  The two bowed and walked towards the door.  Aloran smirked to himself.  Suddenly an idea crossed his mind.  "Hold!"  The two failures turned around to face their leader.  "I have a way for you to redeem yourselves."  A ball of light appeared before Aloran, in it were shown the figures of both Merle and Aletta.  "These two young women are very close to the Fanelian king and the Lavian prince.  Capture them!"  Pillan and Keiran bowed.  

"Yes lord," they said in unison.  Aloran's smirk widened as the two left.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Ahh, what a night!  Isn't it beautiful Merle?"  Aletta and Merle were sitting on the roof of the palace watching the stars.

"Yeah, I love nights in Fanelia.  The lights are so pretty."  Aletta smiled at her friend.

I haven't been to a city like this since I was four.  I never forgot it though.  The capital of Lavia was just as beautiful.  Even better, we went during the midsummer festival so every thing was decorated and lit up."  Merle smiled.

"We don't celebrate midsummer here, but we do celebrate the spring and fall equinoxes.  Spring is my favorite."

"Hey Merle, do you ever wonder what will happen if the bandits invade Fanelia?" Merle's smile turned to a frown.

"I have a pretty good idea.  But it'll be fine; we'll all be safe because Van-sama will protect us."  Aletta smiled again.

"I just don't want to see people suffer like that.  When the bandits attacked our farm that was awful.  But to learn that Lavia herself had fallen, it was almost too much to bear.  Lavia used to be a wonderful land, full of flowers and trees and lakes; it was almost perfect.  Until the civil war started, then it became a harsh land where food was scarce and people lived in fear.  I don't want that to happen here.  It was said that the royal family of Lavia had a gem that gave power to the land itself, making it flourish.  It was the royal jewel, a closely guarded artifact.  When the phoenix family took over, the gem cracked and split, a piece of the jewel was lost.  When the shard was lost, so was the power the royal jewel possessed.  With out that power which was the source of Lavia's prosperity, the land began to die.  Oh well, as long as I've got my brother, we'll survive.  Even if it's not our home."  Merle was intrigued by the story.

"Aletta, how do you know so much?  Weren't you like, five?" 

"My father used to be one of the dragon king's advisors.  He took his family into hiding when Asguard attacked.  He told me the story."

"Oh, what kinds if power does the stone have?" 

"No one knows for sure.  If the person has a strong enough will, and enough power them selves, the powers the gem possesses are said to be immeasurable.  It's said that the stone has the power to create land from the ocean, or bring someone back to life.  The possibilities are endless."  Merle was really interested now.

"Wow, does anyone else know about this?"  Aletta nodded.

"Jeris, being of the royal family, knows; as does Lia, being a mage.  My brother heard the story from my father as well.  He told us that if ever the missing shard of the jewel should come into our hands, we should protect it for all we're worth.  He said that if the complete jewel fell into the wrong hands that all of Gaea might suffer."

"Maybe that's what this Aloran guy's after.  I mean, who wouldn't want something like that?  And I bet he has enough power to control it."  

"Probably, you're probably right.  If that's the case then I'm going to learn as much from Lia as I can, so I can help fight.  I hope we find it before he does."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

At that moment, Lia and Jeris had been discussing the same thing.  Both knew of the jewel and both had seen it, though Lia couldn't remember where she had seen such a thing.  They had also agreed that the shard should be protected at all costs if it were found.  Now Jeris had left Lia's room and she was falling asleep.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A scream tore through the quiet nighttime air.  Lia sat up in her bed shaking with a cold sweat.  _That dream again,_ she thought.  _A voice calling out to me, water, a boy and a woman, what does it mean?  Who are they?  I can never see their faces, but they seem familiar.  Why does that boy have my sword?  A gem, like a diamond but shining with millions of colors; was that the Lavian royal jewel?  Being pushed away from the boat, being alone.  What does it mean?_  This dream had been plaguing Lia since she left Lavia.  It was always the same; she was in a boat with a boy and a woman.  They were drifting off to sea.  The boy pulled out the sword and gave it to her, and then the woman showed her a tiny multi-colored stone.  Lia lifted her dragon pendant off her neck and gave it too the woman.  With a flash of light, the stone was melded into the small hole made by the silver dragon's tail.  The woman gave the pendant back, then placed her on a wooden board in the ocean.  As the woman pushed her away, Lia screamed.  Then she always woke up.  Lia clutched her pendant.  _Could I have had this before my mage training?  Everything's so fuzzy.  What really happened during the first six years of my life?_  A small nock at the door snapped Lia out of her thought.  

"Lia?  Are you all right?  I heard you scream and…"  It was Aletta.

"I'm alright, you can come in if you want."  Aletta opened the door.  Behind her were two people Lia had hoped wouldn't find her like this.  Both Jeris and Van, with Hitomi behind him, were looking worriedly at her.

"Lia, what happened?" asked Jeris.

"Nothing, just a dream."  Hitomi watched Lia closely.  The young mage was hiding something.

"Sometimes dreams are important," she said.  Lia looked up, startled.

"It's nothing really just a bad dream."  Hitomi frowned, than closed her eyes and concentrated on Lia.  A vision crossed her mind.  It was the same one she had seen the day after she met Lia, the one with the boat.  Lia's dream had been her vision.

"Van," Hitomi whispered.

"What?" 

"Her memory's returning."  Van looked at Hitomi, then back at Lia.  Hitomi was right she was hiding something.

"Hitomi, why don't you talk to her about this.  She'll listen to you," said Van.  Jeris, over hearing, nodded and grabbed Aletta by the hand.  The three left, leaving Hitomi and Lia alone.  Hitomi sat on the bed next to Lia.

"Lia, I know what the dream was about.  I saw it.  It's the same as the vision I had the day we left to explore Port Orian.  I think it may be important."

"It was a dream, nothing more nothing less."  Hitomi frowned again.

"Dreams and visions are very important.  They can tell you things you never would have known other wise.  If a dream keeps repeating, then there's got to be a reason for it."  Lia looked down.

"Why would a dream like that have any meaning?  I've never been in a boat like that in my life."  Hitomi thought for a moment.

"Are you afraid of boats?"  Lia looked up, confused.

"Yeah, small ones.  I don't mind larger boats or levy-ships, but small boats scare me."

"Maybe that dream explains why.  What if that dream was really a suppressed memory?"  Lia was really confused now.

"A suppressed memory?  You mean that might have been real?"  Hitomi nodded.  "Do you know something your not telling me," Lia demanded.  Hitomi winced, she hadn't expected that reaction.  "Well?"

"Um, well… you wouldn't believe me anyway." 

"Humor me."  Hitomi winced again.

"Well, um… I think you may have a more interesting past then you let on."  Lia cocked her head.

"Well, it's possible.  I don't remember any thing from before I was seven."

"Well, I know it's a bit far fetched, but what if you were the princess they never found?"  Lia was startled.

"What!  That's impos…" A memory flashed through her mind.  She was in the garden of Fanelia's castle.  With her were her mother, her brother, Van, Folken, Queen Varie, and Jeris and his mother.  The memory faded and another took its place.  It was a memory of her mother.  She watched as the woman took a fist-sized crystal in her hands and broke a tiny piece off.  The shimmering jewel went dark.  The woman placed the piece of the crystal in her pocket and came towards the door.  She picked Lia up and began running for the back entrance of the palace.  A boy met them there.  The memory ended and a third began.  Lia was again with the woman she assumed to be her mother.  They were in a hallway when a young boy, who looked amazingly like Jeris, ran up to them and spoke to her mother.  Her mother grabbed her and fled down the hall, leaving the boy behind.  The third memory ended.  Hitomi looked at her.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

"I… I remember, that day I was with my mother, a boy came and told us that Asguard was attacking.  We ran to a shrine where my mother broke a piece of crystal off of the royal gem.  Then she grabbed my brother and me and ran."  Lia was clutching her pendant.  "How could I have forgotten?"

_It was my wish, that you protect the shard of the dragon gem and be protected yourself.  I erased your memories so that no one would find you._  A soft voice spoke.  In front of Hitomi and Lia appeared a tall, dark-haired woman.  Lia recognized her. 

"Mother…"

Lia my daughter, I had not expected you to remember so soon, but now the situation has become grave.  Your enemy has in his possession our family's royal jewel and is searching for the piece that will make it whole.  For the sake of this world he must not have it.

"Then why does he attack us?  Does he think we have it?" asked Hitomi.

_No, he knows not that it is in your possession.  However, he believes the shard to be residing on the dragon isle.  He seeks a person with the power to pass through the barriers surrounding the island.  He knows that only one of our clan can enter the island unharmed.  I believe he knows your secret daughter.  He has seen your skill as a mage and has had the opportunity to search your mind. _ 

"Than why doesn't he know I have the shard?"

_You didn't know you had it until now.  Aloran also holds a personal grudge against the phoenix family.  He is most likely after Jeris as well.  Lia child, what ever you do, don't let him have the shard.  If he gets it, it could mean the end of this world._  The spirit began to disappear. 

"Wait!  Mother!"  Lia watched helplessly as her mothers figure began to disappear.  "I didn't get to ask her anything…" Hitomi watched her friend silently.  Behind the door, Jeris, Van and Aletta watched.  

"So it is true," whispered Jeris, "This whole mess just got a lot more complicated."  Van just nodded.  Aletta watched the two older boys.  So Lia was a princess, this would make life more interesting.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The morning came with everyone up fresh and early, everyone except Yaren that is.  Mandan told them that Yaren had been up until around three in the morning, which was typical for him.  Every one was up and active before the first morning bell rang.  Lia was pacing the gardens thinking about the last night's events when she ran into Merle.

"Hey!  Watcha Doin?" the cat-girl asked.

"Nothing, just thinking."

"Hm, why don't you go find a bench or something then?  Walking around like that gets tiring after awhile."

"Ok, thanks." Lia made her way over to a small bench in the corner of the garden.  Sitting down, she stared at the blue sky above her.  Was it really true?  Was she really the daughter of the dragon queen?  Lia was confused.  All her life she had known she was a foundling, but she had never expected something like this.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Aletta was also contemplating last night.  She had always known there was something different about Lia, but she had dismissed it as the mage-craft.  The morning was calm and the sky infinitely blue as it often was in Fanelia.  It was a perfect day to be out side, alone with the breeze.  Aletta had always been a bit of a loner.  There were days when she used to escape the farm and run off into the woods just to be by alone.  Lately that out look had begun to change.  Under Merle's friendly guidance, she had begun to seek human companions.  Aletta became so lost in thought that she failed to notice the shadowed figure behind her.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Author's Note:  Cliff hanger!!! Muahahahahahahahaha!!!!  Hehe, see ya later.


	5. Captives

Four Souls: Captives

Author's note:  Hi!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            Aethan heard a shriek from the gardens.  He had been on a balcony whittling a flute and keeping an eye on Asnee.  Hearing the yell he dropped the knife and ran out the door, the half finished flute still in hand.  Asnee followed close behind.  They dashed out the palaces back door to see Aletta attempting to free herself from a cloaked man.  

            "You!  Release her!" yelled Aethan, drawing his sword.  As the attacker turned to face them his hood dropped.    
            "Brother!  Take your hands off her now!" yelled Asnee.  Aethan looked shocked, so this was Asnee's older brother, they looked like twins.  The older boy looked just as shocked, but his gaze swiftly shifted.  

            "I'm sorry Asnee, I have orders from Lord Aloran to bring this girl to him."

            "Why are you working for him?  He tricked us Pillan!"  The mage smirked and grabbed Aletta into a tighter hold.

            "Halt!"  A new voice shattered the silence.  Van walked toward the small group, his sword drawn and an angry look on his face.  His eyes were dark and unreadable as he glared at Pillan.  "Where is Merle!"  Pillan grinned.

            "Then Kieran has completed her mission.  Good."  Pillan backed away towards the castle wall.

            "Take your hand off my apprentice!"  Lia's voice rang from the roof she was standing on.  Jeris, behind her, had his sword drawn and ready.  Hitomi, who was behind Van, looked up surprised.  Pillan's silver-gray eyes darkened.  A ball of light was released from his hand and sped towards his pursuers.  It hit a goldish white shield that surrounded Van and his friends.  Pillan looked shocked, then he turned to glare at Asnee.  The same golden-white light collected around the boy.  

            "Brother, I can't let you harm her.  Release Aletta and we'll let you go."  Pillan smirked.

            "Sorry kid, I have orders."  A sliver light collected around the mage.  When the light had gone Pillan, and Aletta, were gone.  Asnee clenched his fist.

            "Damn, teleported!"  He turned to face a furious young king.  Van was angry, very angry.  

            "Asnee, who was that and what's happened to Merle and Aletta?"  Asnee backed away slightly.  A hand touched his shoulder, making him jump.  Lia was watching him expectantly.  Her eyes were gentler, but not by much.

            "Asnee?" she asked.

            "Pillan is my older brother.  He's a mage like me.  As to what happened to Merle and Aletta, they were probably kidnapped.  Kieran is another soldier under Aloran's command.  If they were working together, than she probably captured Merle.

            "So they're both…" Aethan clenched his fist over his sword.  Jeris put his hand on his friend's shoulder. 

            "We'll find them, don't worry.  They're both strong girls."  Aethan looked no less worried.

            "They're trapped in there with two mages and god knows what else.  And I couldn't do a thing to stop him."  Jeris led his friend back into the palace.  Van and Hitomi followed shortly after, leaving Lia and Asnee alone in the garden.  Asnee was visibly distressed.  

            "I can't believe I let him get away like that."  

            "There wasn't anything either of us could have done.  That is, unless you're hiding some sort of teleporting ability yourself.   I can't do a thing to stop teleportation, the spell works to fast."  Asnee was surprised to see a master mage so helpless.  "We'd better get back inside.  If Aloran's people can get in here than we're safer there."  Asnee nodded and followed Lia into the palace.

            ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            Hitomi followed Van down the deserted hallway.  He was hurting and she knew it.  Whether he hid it from the others or not, she could always tell.  Van stopped in front of a wall and collapsed.  Hitomi caught him slightly and helped him to the ground.  The boy-king was crying.  Hitomi had never seen him like this.  He buried his head in her shoulder and just cried silently.  When he had himself under control a little more, he sat back against the wall and stared at the celing.

            "How could I have let that happen?"  Van nearly broke into tears again.  Hitomi put her arms around him and rocked him like a child.  

            "It'll be alright, we'll get them back.  It's like Jeris said, they're strong, and they can take care of themselves.  We have to believe in them."  Van looked up at her, a hopeful gleam in his eyes.  He cradled her face in his hand.

            "God I've missed you.  I used to stay awake for hours at night, just thinking of you and how we never really got the chance to be…"

            "I know, I missed you so much when I went back.  Hearing you and sometimes seeing you helped, but it wasn't the same.  We were never really…" 

            "Together," they spoke in unison.  Van leaned closer to Hitomi.  She stared at him, the floppy ebony hair, the bright red-brown eyes; he hadn't changed much in the past two years.  He was still the boy she'd fallen in love with.  She closed her eyes and leaned nearer to him.  Her lips found his in their warm embrace. (The sappiness here is killing me, what's worse is I wrote it)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            Aethan was taking the situation really hard.  Jeris had led him into the room he shared with Owean where the rest of the young warriors were gathered.  Having them around helped, but not one of them could really understand what he felt, none but Jeris.  The prince had lost his entire family in Aloran's attack.  That was why Aethan had accepted his help.  Maybe he was right, they should trust Aletta and Merle.  But it was hard, really hard to accept the fact that he might have lost his sister for good.

            ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            The group met in the throne room the next morning to plan a rescue mission.  Aethan was still having a hard time but had joined them anyway.  Van, who was leading the mission much to his advisors distress, showed almost no emotion at all.  

            "Before we go to all this planning we need to find them," said Jeris, leaning back on his chair.  Van watched him.

            "Do you have any idea where he would hide?"  Jeris looked up.

            "No, he's clever.  He'll pick the best place he can find and stay there for weeks."  Van looked at Lia.

            "Can you find them?"  Lia shook her head.

            "I can't scry to that extent.  If I were to try the most I would pick up is the immediate surroundings of the person I'm looking for.  In this situation that wouldn't help," explained Lia.  Van turned to Hitomi.

            "I wanted to keep you out of this, but you're the only one who can find them."  Hitomi nodded.  Merle was her friend and she had just met Aletta, she was willing to use her powers to save them.  Redeen was still in the castle and had been invited to the conference.

            "Ya know, if you need help I can try to get a message through to the commander.  He'll help if he can."  Van nodded.

            "Thank you Redeen.  We'll get you going as soon as possible."  Owean stepped forward.

            "If you need someone to go with him, I'll go."  Seeing Jeris' look of approval, Van nodded.

            "Then we're counting on you two to get the message to Allen."  Owean and Redeen nodded.

            "Where the main camp is determines our best route of attack.  Hitomi, if you can find them then please do so quickly," said Jeris.  Van glared at his cousin, then saw Hitomi's determined face.  No matter how much he wanted her safe, she was set on helping.  Van sighed and walked over to the cabinet in the corner of the room.  He opened it and pulled out a detailed map of Fanelia.          

            "Aethan, do you have something of Aletta's I could borrow?" asked Hitomi.  Aethan nodded and pulled a small hair clip out of his pocket          

            "Aletta dropped this when she was… taken."  Hitomi nodded and took the clip, then followed Van into a quiet room adjacent to the conference room.  An hour went slowly by without even a small indication of whether Hitomi was succeeding or not.  The people waiting hung around the room or sipped drinks that had been brought in by one of the servants.  The weight of anticipation hung heavy in the air.  Most of them jumped as the door opened.  Hitomi walked out looking exhausted with Van close behind.

            Did you find them?" asked Aethan.  Hitomi collapsed into the nearest chair.  

            "They're camp is near the place where the dragons nest," said Van, watching Hitomi.     

            "A perfect hideaway, no one would think of going there," said Jeris, thinking.  Yaren stopped playing with his dagger and spoke up.

            "Then if Owean and Redeen here get going we can leave as soon as Allen's men arrive."  Mandan nodded at Yaren's comment.

            "They're camped close to the border so it shouldn't take long," he said.  Jeris grinned at his two soldiers.

            "The sooner they're here the sooner we can rescue Aletta and Merle," said Lia.  "You two best get going then."  Owean and Redeen nodded and followed Aethan, Yaren and Mandan out the door.          

            "The boys will help them get ready.  Assuming they get through with no trouble, Allen's crew should be here in no time," said Jeris.  Lia was watching Hitomi.  The girl hadn't said a word since she had found Aloran's location.

            "Hitomi, is something wrong?" she asked.  Van looked up shocked, then looked at Hitomi.  

            "Hitomi?" he asked.  "Are you ok?"  Hitomi shook her head.  Van sat down next to her and put a comforting arm around her shoulder.

            "What did you see?" asked Lia.

            "They… they know we're coming.  They're ready.  Aloran's ready to capture us all."  Lia looked stunned.

            "But, mother said he didn't know!  Why would he want all of us?"  Van regarded the mage with a careful eye.

            "What doesn't he know?"  Lia glared at him.     

            "Don't act like you weren't eavesdropping that night.  Amana told me you heard."  Van looked off to the side and Jeris started whistling.  Hitomi's voice broke through the uncomfortable moment.

            "He doesn't know.  He's after Van and Jeris.  He's going to…" Hitomi buried her head in Van's chest.  Jeris looked unnerved; he started shaking. (Poor guy doesn't like mind spells)      

            "Not again.  I can't let him do that again."  Lia put her hand on his shoulder.                   "As long as I'm around he won't touch you.  Not you and not Van, not any of us.  It'll take sometime, a night at least, but I can create a barrier around you're minds to keep you safe from other mind spells.  If Aloran is after you two he'll probably try to control you're psyche."  Jeris looked at her.

            "What'll happen to you if you do this?" he asked.  Lia smiled.

            "I'll be fine, I won't be able to use most of my powers but I can defend myself in other ways."  Jeris frowned at this.

            "You're swordsmanship is _not_ adequate to protect yourself from Aloran's slayers," he replied.

            "It'll have to do."  Lia looked at Van expectantly.  He nodded.  "The spell takes 12 hours to set up.  I'm going up to my room to prepare."  She left the room.  Jeris started to follow, then decided against it.  He sighed.

            "I can't believe I'm letting her do this."  Van watched his cousin.

            "If she were any one else then I would have disagreed as well, but your girl is stubborn as hell," he said.  Jeris grinned.

            "She's not my girl, not yet anyway."

            "She's yours, if you love her and she loves you back," said Hitomi.  Jeris looked at the pale haired girl.

            "Maybe, but you're right Van, she is stubborn as hell.  You know, you should bring Hitomi back to her room.  She looks exhausted.  I'm going to go torment the boyos.  Owean needs to get straitened out before leaving tomorrow."  Van nodded and grinned at his cousin.  Jeris left the room with a smirk on his face, leaving Van and Hitomi alone together.

            "Come on, let's get you back to your room," said Van.  Hitomi nodded and allowed Van to help her walk from the conference room to the one she was staying in.  Once inside, she collapsed on the bed.  Van walked towards the door.         

            "If you need any thing, just call," he said, and left. 

            ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            Owean and Mandan left the castle just before daybreak, riding hard for the border.  Aethan watched them go.  He wished he could have gone with, but this was Owean's job.  Aethan needed something to take his mind off of yesterday's nightmare.  He paced around the balcony trying to work off some of the stress.  

            "Hey Aethan?  You bored or something?"  Jeris entered the balcony with his hand on his hip.  Aethan grinned at him.

            "Bored, stressed, freaked out of my skin, what ever you want to call it."  Jeris grinned at him and walked forward.

            "I know what you mean.  Need a sparing partner, that always gets my mind off things."  Aethan grinned again, nodded and drew his sword.

            "Works for me, maybe I'll beat you this time."  Jeris looked at him grinning.

            "Beat me, never."  Aethan began circling his friend.  Jeris stood, his sword still in its sheath, as if nothing was coming.  Aethan shifted his feet and lunged.  Jeris' sword came out of nowhere to parry the blow.  Aethan pulled back and lunged again.  Jeris dodged and slashed at Aethan's head.  Aethan's sword swung to block.  The boys went on like this for some time, neither getting the better of the other, until Jeris managed to twist his sword under Aethan's and nock it away.  Both of them staggered back panting.  

            "Woo, you're getting good Aethan.  I actually had to try that time."  Aethan leaned against the wall.

            "Nah, I saw you break a sweat last time."  Jeris laughed.

            "You wish."  He turned towards the stairs.  "Looks like we've got a guest."  Lia was sitting on the wall watching them.  On her lap was her cat Amana.  Jeris sheathed his sword and walked over to her.  "You ok, after last night I mean?"  Lia nodded.

            "A little tired, that's all."  Jeris lifted her head.

            "Take care of yourself alright.  That spell wore you out.  You need to rest."  Lia glared at him.

            "I'm fine!  I've had enough rest for a century these past few days."

            "Lia, I don't want you hurt for my sake.  Especially when it can be prevented."  Aethan walked over and started heading down the stairs.

            "I'll leave you two alone for now," he said with a wink.  Jeris grinned at him.  Turning back to Lia he sat down on the wall next to her.  Amana stood and jumped off Lia's lap.  She meowed at the two, and then followed Aethan down the stairs.  Lia turned away from him.

            "I know what you're going to say.  Now that I'm a princess we can be together with out a problem."  Jeris turned her face towards him.

            "Lia, I love you.  I want us to be together.  Do you think I would have left you if I'd never known?  When I met you, you were a young farm girl lost at a horse fair.  I never knew you were who you are till two nights ago."  Lia looked up at him.

            "But we'd met before, didn't you recognize me?"  Jeris shook his head.

            "No, I think your mother made sure no one who had known you would recognize you.  You didn't even remind me of the Lia-ani I had known as a child until I knew for sure.  I had my suspicions of course.  Your name isn't exactly common.  I didn't know for sure until that night."  Lia leaned into him, allowing him to put his strong arms around her.  

            "Even when you found out I was a mage, you still stuck by me.  You've always been there, even before the day we met.  You gave me my life."  Jeris hugged her tighter. 

            "You remembered that day?"  Lia nodded against his chest.

            "You came and warned us.  If you hadn't I'd be dead now.  You're always around when I need help."  Jeris sighed.

            "Not always.  There've been times when I wasn't there to help you."  Lia looked up at him.       

            "But you were, I could feel you're spirit with me.  You always gave me hope."  Jeris leaned closer to her.          

            "Lia…" Lia closed her eyes as they kissed.

            "Yes," she whispered as they broke off.  Jeris looked at her, confused.

            "Yes what?"  Lia hugged him.

            "My answer.  Yes I'll marry you."  Jeris hugged her tight.

            "Even if it means you'll have to act like a noble?"

            "I'm stuck doing that anyway aren't I?  At least we can be together now."  Jeris gazed up at the sky above them.

            "Yes, finally."  Watching them from another rooftop, Amana meowed her approval.

            ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            Owean and Redeen's ride took them across the border before noon.  They had run into no trouble, and it was starting to worry both of them.  It seemed like the shadows of the forest themselves were watching them.  They crossed the border about three miles from the camp and rested their horses.  If they were quick, they'd make it to camp in less then an hour.  Mounting their somewhat rested horses; they took off in the direction of the camp with Redeen leading the way.  As they neared the clearing, they heard sounds of fighting.  

Owean drew his sword as they came closer.  Redeen did the same.  They entered the clearing to find a group of men dressed in all black attacking the crusade's crew.  Owean immediately picked out Dilandau from the loud maniacal laugh that rose over the sounds of fighting.  He spurred his mount into the fray, heading for Dilandau and Miguel, who were in the thick of the battle.  Redeen in turn headed for where Allen and Gaddes were fending off a large number of men.

            ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            Miguel parried another thrust and lunged for his attacker.  This battle was getting long and pointless.  At this rate the enemy would break through with out much trouble.  Dilandau, who was beside him, seemed to be thoroughly enjoying himself.  His insane laugh made many of their assailants nervous and easy to kill.  Miguel was worried.  He'd seen lately how his former commander had been switching back and forth between his and Celena's personalities.  If Dilandau were to change in the middle of a battle he would almost defiantly be killed.  Miguel parried another attack, trying not to think about it.  Two enemies lunged at him together.  Miguel ducked and tried to dodge, both men fell to the ground before the before the blows reached him, one with a dagger in his back and the other run through with a sword.  Miguel looked up to see Owean, his sword soaked in blood, next to him.

            "Owean!  When did you get here?" he asked.  Owean stared at the men edging towards them.

            "Later," he said, and swung at the nearest foe.  As he went down, the black clad attackers began to fall back and vanish.  Miguel sighed, exhausted, and wiped his sword on the grass.  Allen ran over to them.

            "Are you alright?"  Owean nodded as Miguel answered.

            "Alive," he said.  Dilandau's voice rose above the now quiet atmosphere.

            "Damn, over to soon."  Owean glanced at the albino boy and shook his head.

            "God he's crazy."  Miguel looked at Dilandau and, satisfied that he wasn't watching, nodded.  The still standing crew began milling around the battleground looking for the wounded.  Owean stood up and walked over to Allen, who had moved on to talk to the rest of his crew.            

            "Allen, King Van sent us here with a message for you," he said.

            "So Redeen made it through?  Good, what's the message?"

            "The situation in Fanelia is getting worse, both Merle and Aethan's sister Aletta have been kidnapped.  Van has requested that you join them to search for the two."  Allen looked stunned. 

            "Merle was kidnapped?  What's happened in Fanelia?"  Owean sat down next to him and began to relate the events of the past few days.  The crew began gathering around to listen to the story.  When Owean had finished, he sighed.     

            "So Aloran is after Van and Jeris now and he's kidnapped Merle and Aletta.  Does Van know it's a trap?"  Owean nodded.

            "He knows and he's going anyway."  Allen shook his head.

            "When will he learn not to be so reckless?"  Gaddes chuckled.

            "Probably never.  So are we going to help them or not?"  Allen nodded.  

            "We're going.  We can't let him do this on his own."

            ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            The next morning the crusade landed in Fanelia.  They were met by Van, Aethan and Hitomi.  Van led Allen and Gaddes into a small room to talk.  Hitomi and Aethan led the rest of the crew into the castle.  There, Hitomi split off from the group to go find Lia.  She found her on a balcony over looking the gardens.  Lia turned as she entered.  

            "Are they here?" she asked.  Hitomi nodded.  Lia seemed distant.  She gazed off over the gardens as if in a dream.  

            "Lia, is something wrong?"  Lia smiled.

            "No, not yet.  But something's coming, we may not get through this mission safely."  Hitomi watched Lia.           

            "Lia?  Can you tell what's coming?  Is everyone going to be ok?"

            "I don't know, but can't you feel it?  That presence?  It's like it's known us forever.  It's coming, we'll meet it soon, and with it we may meet our destiny."  Hitomi stood there, shocked.

            "Lia, what are you talking about."  Lia blinked and looked up in surprise.  

            "Huh?  Hitomi?  Did I miss something?"  Hitomi blinked, confused.  _She doesn't know what she just said?  Was she in a trance?  She did seem distant.  Maybe I shouldn't tell her…_she thought.

            "I just came to tell you that Allen and his crew just arrived."  Lia smiled and stood up.

            "Thanks!  Lets go find them.  I want to talk to Dilandau."  Lia walked towards Hitomi.  "You coming?"  Hitomi nodded and followed.  As they sauntered down the hallway, Hitomi asked, 

            "Lia, why do you want to talk to Dilandau?"  

            "He knows more about the old Zaibach Empire than anyone here.  Plus, I have a little bribe that might get some good information out of him."    

            "What's that?"  Lia laughed.

            "He hates that scar right?  I can use my healing power to fix it in return for some good information."  Hitomi looked worried.

            "But what about the spell you have on Van and Jeris.  You said you would be weaker than normal.  That could be dangerous."  Lia shook her head.

            "The wound's already closed.  A scar is easy to heal."  Hitomi frowned and followed Lia without a word.

            ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            Van, Allen, Gaddes, Jeris and the four former slayers had all met in a small room adjacent to the throne room.  Plans of rescue were not going well.  The area Aloran had camped in was extremely dangerous even in the best of times.  To get there safely they would have to go on foot because of scouts, making the venture even more dangerous.  They had little time, a few days at best, before Aloran decided to take advantage of the standstill and attack the capital more forcefully.  They would leave on the 'morrow.  

            ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            Yaren found Lia and Hitomi making their way down to the main floor of the large castle.  Stopping them, he relayed the information from Van's meeting.  Lia nodded to him and continued her journey, a determined look on her face.  Hitomi followed, concerned as to her companion's attitude.  Lia turned sharply near the stairs and knocked on the nearest room's wooden door.  She was answered with an annoyed shout and a forceful jerk on the door handle.  Dilandau poked his head out.

            "What do you want?" he asked, exasperated.  Lia calmly pushed the door open a little more.  Dilandau's face gave an odd contorted glare, but he kept quiet. 

            "I need to have a little talk with you," she said determinedly.  Dilandau cocked an eyebrow and stepped away from the door, letting them in. 

            "Make it quick," he said.  Lia entered the room followed by Hitomi, who still wore a worried expression.  Without sitting down, Lia began.

            "I need to know more about Aloran, as we're leaving to find him tomorrow.  You know the most about Zaibach of anyone here.  I came to ask you a few questions about him in particular."  Dilandau still looked annoyed.

            "Why not ask you're boy-friend?  He worked under the guy."  Lia sighed in response.

            "Because he doesn't remember enough from his time there to be of any use.  You know at least something about what Aloran was like before Zaibach fell.  That knowledge could help us discern what he'll do next."  Dilandau slumped down in a near-by chair and regarded Lia with a slightly amused, slightly comprehensive eye.  

            "What do I get in return?" he asked with a smug gleam added to his already complicated expression.  Lia grinned; she had expected such a reaction from someone like him.  

            "That depends on what information you can give me.  If you provide suitably accurate and useful information, I may be able to make something you hate disappear, though you won't know what until I hear a satisfactory answer."  Lia's smug look made Dilandau's eye twitch in annoyance.  Hitomi, had she not known Lia's plan, would have gasped at the young woman's nerve.  Dilandau leaned his cheek on his hand in a bored expression.  

            "What do you want to know?" he asked.  Lia found it hard to not break into a huge grin.  The pyromaniac had taken the bait.

            "I want to know what Aloran was like while he was still with Zaibach."  Dilandau considered for a moment. 

            "I never met him, but I heard stories from Folken.  He was a low ranked sorcerer on the verge of a high promotion.  Folken sometimes told me how annoyingly ambitious he was.  I of course just dismissed it as Folken being worried about his own position.  Aloran was supposedly a brilliant man who worked with the fate alteration experiments.  I found out last year that the bastard's first successful experiment was mine.  He was the one directing the research they used to create me.  If I ever get my hands on him…" Dilandau's face was overcome with a frighteningly sadistic expression.  (Ooh, now we know why Dilandau hasn't run off to kill someone yetJ)  Lia winced, almost feeling sorry for the man, almost. 

            "Go on," she prompted.  The insane glint in Dilandau's eyes faded slightly.  He cleared his throat.

            "Aloran's last mission before Zaibach fell was to retrieve some artifact from a remote country.  Folken said something about him being promoted to the first circle of sorcerers if he succeeded.  He wasn't heard from for about a month after he was sent."  Lia's interruption caused Dilandau's eye to start twitching again.

            "Do you know what he was sent to find?" she asked.  Dilandau glared at her, then answered…

            "Not exactly, he was sent to find some great power source.  The details were kept confidential even from Folken."  Lia clutched her dragon pendant tightly.

            "I think we've heard enough.  Thank you Dilandau."  Dilandau looked shocked for a moment, and then acquired an annoyed and somewhat smug expression.  

            "What about your promise?  You said if I helped you'd make something I hate disappear," he said.  Lia fought to hold back a burst of laughter.  That boy never gave up!  

            "I did say that didn't I.  Very well, I'll keep that promise."  She moved closer to him, close enough to touch his face and extended her arm.  Her hand came to a rest over Dilandau's scar.  Dilandau looked apprehensive, as if he were about to jump away.  "Calm down, this'll only take a minute," said Lia.  Dilandau's expression became more confused then hesitant as Lia's healing power flooded through him.  After what seemed like an eternity, Lia removed her hand.  Dilandau's fingers snapped instantly to where his scar had been.

            "What did you…" Dilandau's face held a mixed look of astonishment, curiosity, and happiness, a rare expression on the normally psychotic boy's face.  He jumped up and ran over to the mirror.  Lia, wearing a smug, but somewhat tired face, ushered Hitomi out of the room with a wink.  As they walked down the hall, Hitomi noticed Lia's smug expression turn to one of deep thought and partial worry.  

            "So Dilandau has a personal score to settle with Aloran," she muttered, more to herself than Hitomi, who was still following her with a worried expression vivid on her pale face.  "They were after the Dragon Crystal, that had to be it… why else would Aloran turn up in Lavia?  And now that the crystal's cracked he'll be searching for the shard.  If he's as ambitious as I've heard, he'll try to gain power by using the Crystal's magic.  Tomorrow, tomorrow we'll begin the journey to put an end to this.  Soon, this will all end soon."  Hitomi couldn't mistake the failing hope in Lia's voice.  Lia was trying to convince herself this would be over soon but Hitomi knew better.  This wouldn't be over until Gaea herself felt the blow.  That was how it always went.  In the darkness behind them, Hitomi heard a soft voice utter poetic words of prophesy, 

'_Four souls_ _thrice sealed;_

_Dragon, Mage, Warrior and Eye;_

_Destiny tied by four held;_

_A promise a secret, a plan and a lie;_

_Break the first seal;_

_Four souls meet;_

_As lives go by;_

_By friendship's heat,_

_Split by a lie;_

_Break the second seal;_

_Two sets of lovers;_

_Together yet apart;_

_A curse is sworn;_

_It breaks a heart;_

_Break the third seal;_

_With the curse, a plague is spread;_

_War, strife and hardship move across the land;_

_Hope lies yonder on four sleeping souls;_

_Should the lovers unite, in Gaea's future happiness unfold._'  She turned to find the voice's owner, but could see no one.  _It must have been my imagination,_ she thought as she dismissed the voice.

            ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Author's note:  Yes the poem above does have some meaning to the story… you'll find out more about it later.  Well, I'm leaving for now, see ya laterJ


	6. Strange Answers

Four Souls: Strange Answers

Author's note: hmm, um…. I'm insaneJ, there…. that's my note.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            The rescue party rode out from the castle early the next morning on horseback.  Traveling as swiftly as possible, they made good time to the edge of the dragon nesting ground.  Once there, Van was surprised to find that they hadn't encountered one land-dragon yet.  On a normal day, dragons were usually swarming the place.  The group, which consisted of Van, Allen, a reasonably happy Dilandau, Miguel, Hitomi, Lia, Jeris, Asnee, Yaren, Owean, Mandan and Aethan, stopped shortly to rest their tired mounts.  Van spent the time perched on a rock above the resting point gazing out at the nesting ground.  Not a single movement could be seen, which was odd for such a dangerous area.  The quiet unnerved him a bit.  Remounting, the group followed a well-worn trail through the forest surrounding the dragon nesting ground.  Coming out of the forest near the central plain, they saw a largely distorted space patrolled by a set of six land-dragons.

            "That's it," said Jeris with a note of worry nearly hidden in his voice.

            "How do we get in?" asked Hitomi, "They have at least those six dragons guarding the entrance."

            "My question is how are they controlling the dragons," said Lia.  As the group watched, the large creatures paced around the partially hidden enemy camp.  

            "Do we have to kill them to get through?" asked Van.  Hitomi's head snapped up when she heard thoughs words.

            "Van, didn't your brother say that dragons react to fear and aggression?  If we approach them unafraid and friendlily maybe they won't attack us," she exclaimed.  Van winced at hearing the words 'your brother'.  The hurt from losing Folken in such a way still hadn't left him.

            "Yes, I remember… anger and fear draw the dragons…" he said with a barely noticeable hint of old pain in his voice.  Hitomi pulled her mount up beside him and placed her hand on his shoulder.

            "Ok, then who's the least afraid of thoughs monsters?" asked Yaren, totally oblivious.  Hitomi shot a quick glare at him, and then turned back to Van.  

            "Well let's think about it… If we sent one of the girls in they'd probably get scared and run, so…" Allen was getting two very evil glares for that comment.  Both Lia and Hitomi were visibly angered.  

            "Just for that… I'm going," said Lia with another hard glance at Allen.  Jeris balked for a moment and then rode up beside her.  

            "Are you crazy?  You can't go in there!"  Lia's glare, which was now turned on him, shut Jeris up.  

            "Why not, I'm not afraid of them," she said.  Everyone except Dilandau balked at that comment.

            "How are you _not_ afraid of them?" asked Yaren, loudly.  Lia gave him another, softer glare.

            "Dragons are attracted to fear, anger and urge to kill.  At the moment I'm not interested in killing anything and I'm not all that angry so I should be safe right?" she explained.  Jeris crossed his arms and half grinned.  

            "Alright fine, It's obvious we're not going to talk you out of this so go ahead… but if they show any sign of attacking you we'll know and come after… at least I will," he said, glaring at the other guys.  Lia grinned a small thank you, then dismounted and began walking towards the dragons.

            "What about her horse?" asked Owean, dumbly.

            "They scare too easily," said Van with the slightest trace of a grin.  Owean accepted the answer and trained his eyes on Lia's now distant figure.  Compared to the huge creatures near her, she was tiny.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            As Lia approached, the giant land-dragons turned they're eyes towards her.  They watched her draw closer with an air of anger about them.  Lia continued calmly forward, unwilling to let her growing apprehension show to the mighty beasts.  It seemed like they could sense every thought and feeling going through her mind.  She griped her pendant, digging the silver dragon into her palm.  Its slight warmth against her skin gave her the courage to continue forward.  The lead dragon sniffed the air, and then turned its yellow-eyed gaze back to the approaching figure.  When Lia was close enough, the dragon sung its head down to her level and examined her through cat-like eyes.  It blinked twice, taking in the tiny body before it.  Lia locked its gaze with her own eyes and tried not to blink.  The dragon swung its head up viciously, causing her to jump back a step.  Back at the edge of the plain, Jeris watched worried as the creature jerked its head around as if it could see them too.  The dragon swung its head back down to Lia's level.  She felt the slightest hint of a thought against her mind.  She looked at the dragon, surprised, and could have sworn it was smirking.  Lia relaxed and opened her mind to the beast.  

_It's safe I'm a friend, _ she thought.  The answer came back in a jumble of unordered thoughts and emotions, like the creature wasn't quite intelligent enough to speak in an ordered fashion.  It seemed to be asking who she was, what she was doing there and who the humans with her were.  

_I'm Lia, a friend.  My friends and I are here to find to other friends of ours who were taken by the people you are guarding against their will.   _With the last thought, Lia gave the creature a mental image of Aletta and Merle.  The dragon replied that it had seen them pass with two of the people from the camp, but it seemed confused that they were abducted.  

_Will you let us pass to find them?  We want to bring them home, _Lia thought to the dragon.  The dragon nodded its great head and answered in a more organized way.  

_We let go… find friend, find dragon-master like you too.  Bring home safe. _  Lia was confused by the last bit, but thanked them kindly as she shrugged it off.

_Thank you.  I'm going to get my friends and they won't hurt you either.  I'll be back very soon, _ she replied.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

As soon as Lia returned to the group she was bombarded with questions and an overly worried Jeris who ran out and hugged her the moment she was close.  Van was particularly confused.

"How did you get near them?  Dragons around here aren't people friendly," he ranted.

"I thought spoke with them," Lia replied calmly.

"Thought spoke?  How?" asked Allen.  Lia looked closely at him. 

"I forgot you weren't here through most of that.  Well then, I'm a mage.  I talked to them through my mind," she said gruffly.  

"So is it safe?" asked Hitomi.

"It's safe," Lia replied.  "They'll let us pass, just no harming them in anyway."  Lia detangled herself from Jeris' arms and beckoned them to follow her towards the camp.

"Like we could harm them…" muttered Yaren to himself as the group followed Lia towards the dragons.  As they approached the door the dragons backed away, allowing them to pass.  

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The door itself was the only truly visible part of the fortress.  The rest seemed to be covered with a sloppy and distorted cloaking device.  The door opened as Lia placed her hand on the cold metal.  _This is way to easy,_ she thought.  The rest of the group seemed apprehensive as well.  Once inside, the men drew their swords, or in Asnee's case gripped his metal pole, as did Lia.  Hitomi palmed a small dagger that Van had given her for the mission incase they got separated.  Once everyone had entered, the metal doors swung shut on their own.  The celing lights flickered on making every one even more nervous.  They traveled slowly and quietly down the deserted hallway.  The hall ended in a large dark room.  As they entered the light flickered on to reveal Pillan and the cat-woman whom every one assumed to be Kieran backed by the remaining dragon slayers and a gaggle of other soldiers.  

"Lord Aloran thought you might come.  To bad you won't be leaving anytime soon," said Pillan.  Van winced; he had also though things were going to smoothly.

"How'd you know it would be today?" asked Lia with a forlorn grin.  Pillan smirked.

"Our dragon-master Rory saw you talking to his friends out there," he answered.  Lia joined Van in wincing.  "Now if you'll just surrender quietly, this'll go a bit easier," he continued.  Van shifted his stance, ready for a fight.  He wasn't giving up so easily.  Pillan sighed.  "Well if that's the case, maybe this'll persuade you."  He and Kieran moved aside to reveal Aletta and Merle, bound, gagged and unconscious, on the floor behind them.

"Aletta!" yelled Aethan, lurching forward.  Jeris held his friend back, grimacing.  Van's eyes darkened.  

"What did you do to them?" he asked, his voice dangerously cold.  Pillan, obviously oblivious as to the danger, shrugged.

"Nothing, they're just asleep.  They'll be up in an hour or two," he answered.  Van wasn't satisfied by the answer, but he kept quiet and glared at Pillan.  Pillan smirked at the boy-king's response.  "So what'll it be?  If you come quietly, these two stay unharmed.  If you resist, we may just have to injure them a bit."  Pillan was obviously ignoring the eleven pairs of glaring eyes, and one oddly contorted version of a glare, directed his way.  Lia lowered her sword and stepped forward a bit.

"If we surrender, you'll not hurt them?" she asked, with a cold glare.  Pillan nodded.

"If all of you surrender, they'll be safe," he replied.  Jeris' glare was even colder than Lia's.  

"If we surrender, what happens to all of us?" he asked coldly.  The cat-woman laid her icy violet eyes on him.  

"That is for Lord Aloran to decide," she said with an air of dryness.  Van, quietly assessing the situation, nodded to the group and laid his sword on the cold tiles in front of him.  The rest reluctantly followed his example.  Pillan's guards surrounded them as the black metal door in front of the group slid open.  Entering the large room was Aloran himself and a young man none of them had seen before.  Tall and slender with flashing silver-violet eyes and midnight hair tied at the back of his neck in a short ponytail, he surveyed the scene with a bitter gaze.  Lia, who had stepped back with the group when they were surrounded, moved nearer to Jeris.  Seeing her reaction, he slid his arm around her waist and pulled her closer.  Behind them, Van and Hitomi inched closer together, ready to defend each other, if necessary, from Aloran's schemes.  Aloran calmly walked forward, spoke quietly to Pillan, and turned to analyze the situation.  He smirked frigidly when he saw he had the distinct advantage.

"Well it seems this slippery lot has been caught in our net.  Well done Pillan, Kieran," he said.  Kieran and Pillan bowed as Aloran moved forward towards his captives.  A few inches from the group he stopped and beckoned to his dark-haired assistant.  "Allow me to introduce my right-hand man."  Placing a hand on the tall man's shoulder, he continued.  "This is Rory Drilavia, the single heir to the throne of old Lavia and the only dragon-master in the world."  Lia's gasp was audible only to Jeris, who was just as stunned.  His grip on her waist tightened.  _Lia's brother is Aloran's right-hand man?  That's Rory?  The boy who was once my friend? _ He thought, shock flowing through him like a flood.  Hitomi too was shaken.  _So this is the young boy from my visions, _she thought.  Aloran continued to speak.  "Ironic isn't it, that the dragon queen would try so hard to save her young daughter and discover that while the girl was never found, her son survived to betray his country."  Rory was smiling quietly to himself.  Gathering her failing courage, Lia snapped at him. 

"So you hand over your country to a madman?  Where's your sense of devotion?  Do you expect respect for this, money, what?  What do you hope to achieve from this?"  Rory laughed at her.  

"What do I want, you ask?" he said, sneering.  "I want revenge.  Revenge for my country and myself.  I want those Phoenix bastards to die a long, slow, painful death.  And I want my mother to watch me from wherever she is and see the mistake she made when she tried to save my sister and not me.  She never loved the rest of us… it was always Lani this, Lani that.  Lani… she nicknamed my sister that, we all called her it.  She was only so nice to Lani because she had lost Lani's twin brother and didn't want to loose her to.  I don't think I can even remember Lani's real name.  No matter, she's dead for all I care!"  It was all Jeris could do to keep Lia from attacking Rory on the spot.  Seething, she responded with seldom seen spite. (Ooh, alliterationJ)

"And if you saw Lani now what would you tell her after saying all of that where she could hear it!" she spat at him.  He snickered at her anger.

"I would say she could go to hell for all I care!" he screamed.  (Wow, a sibling b**** fight… and one doesn't even know itJ)  Lia glared at him, anger gathering around her like a cloak.  As if sensing her fury, he took a step back and asked in a quieter tone, "And why do you care?"  Lia's anger diminished slightly when she saw his show of ignorance.  

"I knew your sister when she was little.  She was the adoptive daughter of one of the farm hands.  She died when she was ten," she lied calmly.  Jeris nearly smirked at her blatant lie.  Rory took another step back, and then glanced at Aloran.  Aloran was ignoring the scene and gazing at the back of the room.  

"This has gone on long enough.  Take them to the dungeon," Rory said calmly.  As they were led by, Jeris couldn't help but notice the way Rory's eyes quietly followed Lia longer than was appropriate.  Jeris felt a surge of hatred, disgust and jealousy.  _Maybe Lia's lie wasn't such a good idea after all.  Now Rory doesn't know not to stay away from her.  I'll have to give him a reason then,_ he thought with malice.  

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

They were left together in a small, badly aired, and damp cell.  Hitomi found a small corner and curled up in it.  Van, feeling somewhat responsible for their situation, joined her and put a comforting arm around her shoulder.  Across from them, Lia and Jeris had stolen the other corner.  Hitomi was grateful for Van's company, as she had a lot on her mind and was confused by much of it.  She felt like she was caught between two walls and couldn't move.  Like the last time she had visited Gaea, she seemed to be followed by war and misfortune.  She hadn't even tried to see the future yet and evil still seemed to chase her wherever she went.  Bad things kept happening to the people she had grown to love and respect.  Was everything happening because she had come to a world in which she had no place or was she just a bad omen.  

_You do have a place here, with Van, _said a part of her.  She shrugged off the thought.  She didn't deserve to be with Van; not with all the suffering she caused him.  Hitomi watched the other members of their group.  Aethan was taking care of both Aletta and Merle, who'd been left in the cell with them.  Dilandau had changed back into Celena and was being comforted by her brother Allen.  Owean was trying to help Aethan, while Yaren and Mandan sat against the wall and talked.  Asnee was sitting quietly against the remaining wall space, staring off into his own world.  As the group sat thinking the floor of the fortress began to hum as the levy-stone engines flared to life.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Does she know?" Aloran asked Rory, who was standing next to his throne-like seat.  Rory smirked in amusement.

"She knows," he replied.

"Your sister has recovered her lost memories then?"  Aloran glanced quietly at his commander.

"Yes."  Rory's words were answered by a cackle from Aloran.

"Then the way to the Dragon Isle is clear.  I'll have that shard in no time," he said, pulling a fist-sized ball of cloth off of it's nearby pedestal.  Aloran carefully unwrapped the sphere to reveal a faucetted, multi-colored crystal.  His hand caressed a tiny notch in the gem.  "Once the crystal is complete I'll have that island country and the rest of this world as well.  No one will be able to stop me."  

"How will you convince my little sister to open the mists?" asked Rory with a calm smirk.  Aloran lifted a small box from the arm of his chair.  Inside the mahogany cover laid a small bottle and a needled syringe.  Aloran grinned evilly.  

            "Fill the needle halfway with this drug and inject it into her," he said.  

"What will it do?" questioned Rory calmly.

"Once it enters her blood stream it will consume the life force of the victim and heat the body from the inside.  Such a drug is deadly to a normal human, but a mage has an amazingly strong life force.  With in five minutes she won't be able to perform the simplest spell with out causing herself great pain and fatigue.  After seven days, the drug will have sucked up enough of her power to begin feeding on her life force.  When that happens the effect it has will be the same as the damage to a normal human.  It will kill her."  Aloran's wicked grin had grown wider.  Rory's eyes darkened slightly.

"Is there a cure?" he asked.  Aloran's grin faded a bit.

"There is a sister plant to the one that creates this drug.  But Ceredonia is a plant that grows only on the Dragon Isle."  Rory's eyes brightened again at this answer.  

"So we drug her when we reach the mists and force her to open them.  Then we use her as a shield against the dragons.  Who will find the shard?" asked Rory.

"You will, only you can enter the sacred shrine where the shard of the crystal is kept," answered Aloran.

"Then this begins at sunrise.  I best get ready."  Rory began walking towards the chamber door.

"Yes, you better," said Aloran quietly.  

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Rory paced his small room, fingering the small box in his hand.  He knew he had a deep detest for his younger sister but he still didn't want to kill her.  The ones he had sworn revenge against were long dead; he held no willing grudge against Jeris, even though he was the last remaining child of the phoenix clan.  Rory hadn't forgotten their friendship, and that it was Jeris who had tried to save him, his mother and his sister.  He sometimes even wondered why he had such bitterness against both him and Lia.  It was almost as if something was forcing him to hate the couple.  He had felt an instant resentment towards the Fanelian king and his young companion and yet he had no reason to dislike them at all.  He had met Van when they were very young and he had never even see the young woman before.  So why did he have such feelings towards thoughs four, and why had he not had this reaction from the others.   

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The early morning light filtered through the tiny window of the cell waking Lia.  The salt smell told her they were somewhere over the ocean.  She sat back against the wall next to the still sleeping Jeris.  Across the room she saw no one stirring.  Heavy breathing and Lia's small sigh made the only sound in the room.  About five minutes later she heard a soft click at the cell door.  Glancing quietly at the entrance, she saw Rory standing in the open doorway.  Her head started nodding and her eyes became fuzzy.  Confused she shook her head to clear it.  Unwillingly, she stood up and walked towards the door.  Once there she blacked out completely.  Rory gathered his unconscious sister into his arms and left as quietly as he had come.  

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

When Lia woke she found herself in a strange room strapped down to a chair.  Still feeling dizzy, she surveyed the scene with blurry eyes.  A dark blur moved towards her.  She could barley make out Rory's facial features, but his voice was obviously cold.

"You're finally awake?  Well than, you're going to help me with something," he said.  Lia was to tired and sick feeling to retort and Rory seemed to know it.  "You've got no choice you know," he said.  "We can do anything we want to your friends and you wont be able to stop us in your current condition."  Instead of blazing with psychotic fire, Rory's eyes had a distance in them that even Lia, blurry eyed and dizzy as she was, could notice.

"What did you do to me," she said quietly.  Rory gazed calmly at his sister.

"I gave you a drug that renders a mage nearly helpless," he replied.

"Why tell me so much?" asked Lia, confused by his quiet reaction.  Rory sighed.

"There's a person in your group who I knew along time ago.  She was one of my best friends and she was taken from me.  When I saw her again I felt this unprovoked anger inside me, like something that hated her was trying to get out.  I don't want to hurt this person but every time I'm ordered to do something about this person I can't keep myself from going through with it.  It all started awhile back when I found this book in my foster parent's living room.  Inside was a story of five souls who were bound to protect this world.  The fifth became jealous of the other four because of their love for each other so he cursed them to never meet life after life and suffer without each other.  The curse was sealed three times, once to make sure they never came together, once to make sure they never fell in love, and once to make sure they never found out the truth of their past.  At the end of the book there was this poem, like a prophecy, that went like this: 

Four souls thrice sealed; Dragon, Mage, Warrior and Eye; Destiny tied by four held; a promise, a secret, a plan and a lie; Break the first seal; Four souls meet; As lives go by; By friendship's heat; split by a lie; Break the second seal; Two sets of lovers; together yet apart; a curse is sworn; it breaks a heart; Break the third seal; With the curse a plague is spread; war, strife and hardship move across the land; Hope lies yonder on four sleeping souls; should the lovers unite, in Gaea's future happiness unfold."  Rory finished his story abruptly.  Listening, Lia's heart seemed to stir as if it were remembering something she couldn't see.  Rory continued quietly.  "Part of me says that the four should come together, but another part says that it would bring disaster on everyone.  That part of me hates this person I used to care about.  It wants her dead, but I don't want her hurt."  

"Who was she?" Lia asked, carefully.  

"A friend," he replied, "She was more like a sister."  Had she not been so tired and restrained, Lia would have jumped out of her seat.  _He's talking about me.  He knows who I am.  But what does this mean, what about the story?  Something tells me it's important, but why?_

"I have to ask, who were the people in the story?" she sputtered.  Rory didn't even glance at her before answering.

"The five protector souls of Gaea.  There was Yarden, the lord of the sky; Kael, the lord of protection; Mrena, the lady of prophecy; Cian, the lord of life and death; and Medea, the lady of magic.  Cian was the one who betrayed everyone.  As the story goes, Mrena was in love with Yarden and Medea with Kael.  Cian was in love with a human woman but she died so he became jealous of all four and cursed them.  Wait a minute.  Why am I telling you this?  I have a job to do."  Rory's eyes had changed blatantly from quietly distant to madly psychotic.  He grabbed Lia by the shoulders and grinned insanely.  Lia, shocked by the sudden change, did nothing but stare.  "Open the mists to the dragon island.  Now!"  Rory's shout brought Lia somewhat back to her senses.

"Why should I?  What do you want there!" she yelled back.

"Because we have your friends, that's why.  As to what we want, that's for me to know and you to find out on your own.  Lia shook her head, trying to clear it.  Considering the situation she was in, she decided she didn't have much of a choice, a decision based partially on the fact that she was drugged and wouldn't have been able to think strait if her life depended on it.

"Alright," she said.  Focusing on her magic she called threw the barrier surrounding the dragon island.  When her conscience reached a certain point, she felt a twinge in the astral fog as it slowly opened.  Coming back to her body, she found herself gasping.  The tethers that had kept her tied to the chair had been cut and she was on the floor clutching her head in pain and gasping for breath.  She didn't even notice the floor beneath her begin to hum.  All she felt before she blacked out was someone lifting her from the cold floor.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Jeris had spent most of the morning worrying about where Lia was.  It wasn't as if she would have escaped without them so there was obviously something wrong.  Van had watched him pace around the cramped cell and listened to Yaren constantly yelling at him to sit down and stop frustrating people.  Jeris had finally sat down only to pop up again when the guards came to bring them food.  After that it had taken all four of the boys together to calm him down enough to make him eat.  If Van hadn't been so worried himself, he might have found the whole thing amusing.  The rest of the girls, Celena included, had spent most of the morning talking about yesterday's events and what they thought might happen next.  Van had spent the morning with his back to the wall watching everyone and thinking.  An hour before, when the fortress had stopped somewhere over the ocean, he had felt an odd twinge in his mind like someone was trying to tell him something.  He had dismissed it as not having enough sleep until about forty-five minutes later when he had felt a surge of energy and a strange presence surrounding the fortress.  Nearly instantly the fortress had begun to move again.  Van knew that both Hitomi and Jeris had felt it too.  Why it was only thoughs two, he didn't know.  A click at the door interrupted his thought process.  Three guards entered with a handful of others behind them.  

"We're here to escort you to the main hanger," said one of the guards.  The group stood quietly and followed, some with worried looks on their faces.  Van gave Hitomi a rare but reassuring smile.  She smiled back slightly, and then followed Aletta through the door.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The guarded group arrived at the main hanger to find the door open and Aloran, Rory, Pillan and Kieran waiting for them.  In Rory's arms was his unconscious sister Lia.  Jumping forward, Jeris was pushed back and given a warning glare by one of the guards.  Rory glanced at him, a sad look in his eyes, and walked towards the group.  

"Here," he said when he was close enough for Jeris to reach.  He handed Lia to him carefully.  Jeris looked over her quickly.  Other than being unconscious and very warm, she seemed all right.  Jeris glared up at the retreating Rory.  When he had reached him, Aloran smirked and walked into clear view of the secured assembly.  

"You all are going to join us on our little expedition of the Dragon Island," he said.  "You're friend there, with a little persuasion of course, opened the mists that blocked us from this place.  Any trouble you cause will result in instant death for you and the one nearest you at the time.  You will follow my direct orders until the mission is complete."  The group let Aloran's orders silently sink in.  Aloran walked towards the open hanger door, motioning to the soldiers surrounding them.  The nearest soldier pushed Jeris forward into a swift walk.  

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

They descended the fortress from a slanted walkway onto a high cliff raised above the blue-green ocean.  The land surrounding them was covered with emerald foliage and silver-gold earth.  In the distance could be seen gigantic violet-blue mountains that looked as if they had been carved from solid gems.  In the sandy cliffs, Aletta could see tiny shells that looked like glittering jewels of various colors.  A sudden movement caused her to gaze at the immense tree line.  Tropical birds of every color exploded from the leaves as an enormous silver shape emerged from the trees.  It was a dragon.  Silver in color, it was huge compared to the land-dragons seen through out mainland Gaea.  Instead of the skin webbing the land-dragons had stretched between their forefeet and hind legs, gigantic, sheer sliver wings protruded from the creature's shoulder blades.  In the center of it's forehead was a multi-colored gem.  It rose to its great hind legs and addressed the group in a sophisticated manner.

"Who are thee, indrudersss in our land?" the creature said, its gem blazing with cold fire.  Aloran stepped forward.

"We are here seeking an item valued by the Lavian people in order to save the dying land," said Aloran, blatantly lying.  The dragon cocked its great head.

"Only thossse desssended from the clan of the dragon people may enter that sssacred place," said the dragon.  At Aloran's beckoning Rory stepped forward.

"This young man is the only know living member of the dragon clan, he will go with you to retrieve the item," Aloran commanded.  The dragon looked irritated that a human would dare order it about.  It turned its head towards Jeris.

"The girl there will come asss well.  I sssenssse a sssimilar blood in her," it commanded.  Jeris' mouth dropped open.

"She can't.  She's hurt or something.  She needs help," he said.  Jeris could have sworn the dragon was smirking.  

"Thee will come asss well.  Thy will carry her to the ssshrine, child of the phoenix."  The creature turned to Van and Hitomi as well.  "Thee two will join us asss well.  I sssenssse thy intentionsss are good.  We will fly to the ssshrine in the mountiansss."  Van nodded at the creature's order.  If it wanted Hitomi and him along, he would carry her.  The dragon to seemed to nod at Van's thoughts.  "Come," it said. "My mate awaitsss usss at the ssshrine.  For the ressst of thee, my ssson Mirenze will watch thy movementsss until we return."  A smaller bronze dragon came into view as the silver one took off into the sky.  Since the dragon obviously knew the chosen five could fly well enough to follow, the three boys striped off their shirts and launched into the sky, Van carrying Hitomi and Jeris carrying Lia.  

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Author's not:  Ahh, I love dragons… so pretty… Ok, I'm a bit zoned out right now, don't mind me.  


	7. Pure Hearts, Dark Souls and Radiant Hope

Four Souls: Pure Hearts, Dark Souls and Radiant Hope

Author's note: Alo…

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

They flew towards the mountains, carefully veering and turning to keep on course.  Ahead the crystalline cliffs loamed out at them.  Jeris had spent most of the flight ahead speaking with the dragon, whose name, as Jeris had learned, was Slazzanar.  Van had watched the conversation from a safe distance.  His arms were tiring from carrying Hitomi this far and he hoped they would reach their destination soon.  Rory was flying even further apart from the group, off in his own little world.  Ahead of them, a cave-like opening cut through the violet mountainside.  Slazzanar headed for the crevice, followed by the three draconian males.  They landed on a crystal-like floor, the walls surrounding were glistening with gold.  The dragon beckoned them to follow as he crawled on all fours through the immense hallway leading to the shrine.  The hallway ended in a spectacular cavern with walls sparkling in all the colors of the rainbow.  At the very end was a silver and gold altar and two matching candleholders whose candles winked like diamonds.  Behind the altar, a glittering scepter stood upright.  From the darkness emerged a great golden dragon.  Slazzanar moved near it and spoke in a language none could understand.  He then turned to face the draconians and Hitomi.

"Thisss isss my mate Mara-raine, the guardian of thisss ssshrine," he said in a soft, affectionate voice.  The golden dragon spoke in a rumbling tone.  

"Thee are the onesss who ssseek help for the people of Lavia?" asked Mara-raine.  Rory nodded.  Instead of accepting the answer, the great creature turned on Rory.  "Thy heart isss not worthy of what thisss shrine guardsss.  Thy sssoul isss dark and corrupted.  Thee wisssh only for thy own benefit," snapped Mara-raine.  Rory stood stock still as the dragon moved on to Jeris, Van, Hitomi and the still unconscious Lia.  "Among thee however I sssense one who's wisssh isss true.  Thee four have the giftsss and sssoulsss worthy of the power I guard."

"Please," said Jeris, "can you do anything for Lia?  She's been drugged or something.  She's dying."  Van looked at Jeris shocked.  Not even Hitomi had sensed this kind of urgency but his cousin had somehow felt Lia's decline.  The dragon's gaze softened.  

"I will help thee, thy hasss ssshown courage to asssk sssuch a thing.  Leave her here and ssstand back," Mara-raine replied with a draconic smile.  Jeris did as he was told, worried about the great creature hovering over Lia.  The jewel, so much like the one that grazed Slazzanar's forehead, blazed with a calming fury.  A circle of greenish fire surrounded Lia and consumed her.  Jeris shouted, but shut his mouth as he watched the fire die.  Lia now stood firmly in the center of the failing flames, the shard at her throat blazing with the same fury as Mara-raine's jewel.  "Ssshe isss healed," said the great golden creature.  Jeris ran at her and gathered her in his arms.  

"Do you have any idea…" he was cut off by Lia's calm answer.

"Its ok, shh," she said, before freeing herself from Jeris' embrace to glare at her brother.  Slazzanar moved quickly between them.  

"Thisss isss no place for a brawl.  Thee will wait until thy are free of thisss place," he said.  Beside the silver dragon, Mara-raine bowed her head to Lia.  

"Thee are the one.  Thy power isss now revealed by thy healing." As she said this, the staff behind the altar drifted towards Lia.  Up close it was a beautifully crafted object of silver twisted with gold.  At the bottom and above the handle it was adorned with a pair of dragon's wings surrounding a violet gem.  At the top it bore two tiny golden dragons clutched around a missing item.  Lia recognized it instantly.

"Mothers… Mothers scepter," she gasped.

"Thisss hasss belonged to every dragon clan queen since the lady of magic herssself bore it in the beginning of time.  It now belongsss to thee Medea," said Mara-raine.

"Medea was my mothers name.  Mine is Lia," she said.  Mara-raine gazed at her with her huge bronze eyes.  

"Tisss rightly thine.  Thy mother was named for the Lady.  Thee are the Lady in another flesh and thy companionsss be thy friendsss," said the dragon, stubbornly.  

"Who, what… what do you mean?" asked Lia as she gazed at Jeris, Van and Hitomi.

"Thy lover, Jerisss be in the past thy lover Kael, thy two friendsss be Yarden and Mrena, and thy brother be in hisss sssoul Cian, thy enemy."

"How can you tell?" asked Lia, gripping the scepter in confusion.

"Thy bear the ssshard of the gem given by the dragonsss to thy family," said Mara-raine.  Rory's eyes widened; the insane glint Lia now recognized as Cian personified returned.

"So it was you all along, Medea.  You put us through all that trouble to find that stupid crystal," he said, in a voice to quiet to be sane.  Lia clutched her pendant in one hand and the scepter in the other. 

"Yeah," she said, "Got a problem with that?"  Van, Jeris and Hitomi were now backing her against her mad brother.  Rory, or now Cian, just laughed.

"Even if you have your jewel you'll never break my curse.  You know to little of the truth for the final seal to break.  I'll win in this life and in all those to come," he said.

"Then the firssst two sssealsss have broken?" asked Slazzanar.

"If I understand him correctly than yes, the first seals of the curse of the four souls have been broken.  The way to break the third one would be for us to completely regain the memories of that life.  I'm afraid that at this point my memories at least are very vague," said Lia, nodding.  Jeris, behind her, nodded in agreement.

"And you'll be dead before you can learn that much," said Cian, a purple-black cloud of power growing behind him.  The wings he sprouted from his back were not white and feathered, but black as night and stretched like a dragons.  (He he, Lucivar… don't ask).  He shot into the air of the great cavern, which was tall enough to accommodate a dragon with its wings fully extended and still have extra room.  The three draconians still on the ground sprouted their feathery white wings.  

"Don't go, he wants you to follow him.  He'll kill you if you chase him."  The sudden cry from Hitomi stopped them from following Cian.  Around her glowed a strong white light as the confidence in her now stronger powers spread to the rest.  Jeris grinned.

"If you weren't such a coward you'd come down and fight us all," he goaded.  Cian's maniac grin grew as he dove at the four.  The dragons, at this point, had moved to block the entrances incase Cian tried to escape.  As Cian neared the end of his dive, a thought like a flash veered him off course.  

_I won't let you hurt my sister._   Rory, inside of the psychopath's mind, was fighting back.  The headache that fighting such a willful mind created was almost too much for Cian to bear.  He flew towards the other end of the room, panting in exhaustion.

_I thought you had died long ago.  You won't keep me from my goal you pathetic winged human, _ thought Cian.        

_You may have my body, but my mind is still free.  I won't let you hurt them _Rory's mind replied.

"Cian, this battle is pointless.  Give up and let my brother go before I'm forced to kill you," said Lia, close behind him.  

"You forget Medea, in our past life I _was_ your brother." Cian gloated on the confusion that appeared on her face.

"You were the two sided guardian.  One half guarding life, the other guarding death."  Jeris and Van looked shocked at Hitomi's sudden knowledge.  Cian's insane smirk grew.

"I'm the soul that guards life.  My other half hasn't yet been reborn," he said.

"Then that means, without your sane half to balance you, you're completely deranged."  The staring turned from Hitomi to Jeris.

"Then it is true.  While life is hard and unpredictable, death is welcoming and friendly," said Van quietly.  (Jade have you caught my planning yet?)

"Even with you're returned knowledge, you can't break my curse and you can't defeat me." Cian staggered into a standing position.  His smirk was suddenly interrupted by a twitch of his face.  His voice turned from madly psychotic to hurt and pleading.  

"Kill me, please.  Break the curse and kill me."  Rory's voice rose from the faltering body.  The four turned to him with shocked looks.

"Rory, but… " Lia's voice cracked at the sudden realization.  Because of Cian, she was going to be forced to kill her own brother, the last living member of her family.  

"Do it.  If I die so does he."  Rory's logic astounded the four.

"But it's not your fault, we can't kill you for his insanity," said Hitomi, eyes full of anxiety.  Rory shook his head.

"I can't stay in control much longer, kill me now before he takes over again and kills you." he said desperately.

"But we can't…" Jeris and Van yelled in unison.  Lia raised her hand to stop them.  

"No, he's right.  There's no other way."  A single tear rolled down her cheek.  "Please, it's my duty as his sister in both lives.  It will only be harder the longer it is prevented."  Rory sighed in relief.

"Hurry, I can't…" His words were less controlled than before.  More tears fell to join the first.

"I'm sorry Rory."  Lia raised her hand allowing silver-violet light to collect there.  Rory's eyes flickered between his own and Cian's.  The glow barreled towards the young man, blinding the silent onlookers.  When the bright radiance had faded, they found Rory dead, with a smile crossing his face and his violet eyes closed as if in sleep.  Lia turned abruptly, her face unreadable and bumped into Jeris.  She collapsed against his chest, shoulders quivering in silent weeping.  Jeris held her close, rocking her back and forth as if comforting a child.  Hitomi clung to Van in a similar, if not as potent, distress.  Lia stopped crying and turned back to her brother's lifeless body.  Slowly she picked him up and turned towards the others.  "Let's go back, we still have a score to settle with Aloran for this."  Her eyes now burned with anger, pain and sadness.  The dragons removed themselves from the entrance and led the quiet group out.  

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Aletta spotted the tiny shapes approaching.  _Two dragons,_ she thought, _and a few smaller beings._  She tugged on her brother's arm and pointed towards the tree line when he responded.  Aethan quietly nodded and turned to silently tell the others.  When the two great beasts landed, the beings with them came into greater focus.  It was Van and co. with Lia conscious and carrying Rory.  Clasped to her belt, next to her sword sheath, was a sword length rod wrapped in black leather.  The bronze dragon guarding them turned to acknowledge the larger two dragons.  Aloran stepped forward in his circle of guards.  He looked mildly shocked at seeing Rory supposedly unconscious but other wise he seemed calm.  Lia's anger flared at his lack of care.

"Dragons, have you returned with the item I requested?" he asked, smirking.

"We have, though thee isss not worthy of thisss gift and thee ssshall not have it," the golden dragon replied.  Aloran's smirk died to a dark scowl.  

"If you will not hand it over willingly than I'll be forced to harm one of the prisoners," he said.  He was met with four pairs of glaring human eyes and three pairs of draconic ones.  Van stepped forward slightly, only to be held back by Jeris' hand at his shoulder.

"Thee hath already causssed the death of one being thisss day," said Mara-raine, the golden dragon.

"What do you mean," said Aloran carefully as he gazed over the group in front of him.  His eyes came to rest on Lia, carrying Rory.  Aloran's eyes laughed at the sight.  "That useless boy?  What do I care about his death?"  Lia's glare darkened and was joined by the others.

"For you he was useless, but he was my brother," said Lia, too calmly to be normal.

"He's only draconian," Aloran replied.  A bolt of violet fire glanced off his carefully designed shield.  Lia had dropped her brother's body and was standing in the midst of a violet flame.  A similar fire was visible from the other three as well as their long hidden powers sprang into being.  A scarlet fire surrounded Van and an emerald one bathed Jeris.  Pure white light gathered around Hitomi's slight form.  Aloran stepped back when he realized he was seeing the auras of three people he had never suspected of having magical gifts.  His panic subsided as he launched a bolt of amber light at the group of prisoners and their guards.  Aethan saw the beam coming and ducked, pushing Aletta to the ground with him.  The light glanced off an emerald shield surrounding them.

"You have something that belongs to us," said Lia, dangerously.

"I have nothing of yours!" yelled Aloran, panicking considerably when the four in front of him walked strait through his shield.  The pendant at Lia's throat gleamed and in answer, a similar light began emanating from Aloran's cloak.  

"You have the dragon crystal, the gift that protects Lavia.  Give it back now and we'll spare you," said Lia.  Aloran, cowering on the ground, reached inside his cloak and held out a glowing, fist sized crystal.  Lia lifted it out of his hand and yanked her pendant off her neck.  The tiny stone inside the silver dragon's tail glowed with a surprising fury.  As they were lifted together, the light became blinding.  When the silver fire died, the pendant's crystal was gone and the dragon crystal glowed with life.  

"The ssstone isss healed, as isss Lavia's heart," said Slazzanar.

"And may it never be wounded again," said Lia in reply.  In their distraction, they failed to notice Aloran.  He was muttering under his breath.

"… and may the happiness they've found be broken, may my enemies never again live in peace."  His voice rose to a booming over the land.  Only too late did Lia realize the finishing of a curse.  As if on cue, Hitomi slumped to the ground with a cry.  Van barely caught her.  Without a word, Lia raised her hand in Aloran's direction and released a bolt of purple light.  Before the light reached Aloran it was joined by a bolt of scarlet fire, one of emerald light and a soft blue beam.  The light destroyed Aloran completely, echoing off of the ocean and cliff itself.  Jeris turned around as the light died to see Aletta, braid blowing in the breeze and hand raised, panting against her brother's body.  The same pale blue glow that had helped to destroy Aloran glittered around her.

"We need to get somewhere safe and fast, something's wrong with Hitomi," Van's voice shattered the silence.  

"Follow usss," Slazzanar answered.  The guards surrounding them drew back as the reunited group followed the great silver dragon.  He led them to a small cave, which he could not fit into.  "Bring her in here, ssshe isss in need of help my people can not give."  The dragon seemed saddened by the reality.  Van brought her into the cave.  Near the back he found a stone slab that could be used as a bed.  As he placed her down, a small black cat jumped down from the crevice above.   

"Amana!" exclaimed Lia.  _ How did you get here? _

_I followed you silly. _  The cat thought back at her.

_Amana do you know what's wrong with Hitomi? _ Lia asked.  The cat glanced up at her.

_She's trapped inside her mind.  Compared to you three she knows so little of the truth that she was easily ensorcelled by Aloran's curse.  She can't break the barriers on her mind.  If things stay as they are she will eventually die. _ Said the cat with amazing sincerity.

_What can we do? _ Asked Lia, solemnly

_Enter her mind and bring her back, _said the cat.  Lia nodded, turned and approached Hitomi's bed. (Ok, prepare to be confused… Major editing help needed from now on… you've been warned Jade) Van turned to her.

"Is there anything we can do?" he asked.  Lia only nodded.

"Van, what ever you do, don't let go of her.  Don't loose heart.  If you do, she won't survive," she said.  Van nodded in response.  A hand taped Lia's shoulder.  It was Aletta.

"Lia let me help.  You've taught me enough to know how and you can't do this alone," she said.  Lia smiled at her.

"Then follow my lead, but if anything happens, turn back immediately," she said.  Lia sat down against the wall with Aletta beside her, allowing herself to slide into a dark trance.  When she opened her eyes, she and Aletta stood at the edge of a dark well.  Appearing before them was a figure shrouded in a dark cloak with violet eyes peering out at them.  Lia recognized the being immediately.

_Death, I have no quarrel with you.  My battle is with what fate has set before me, _ she said to the being.  Death nodded and faded away, leaving them a clear view of Hitomi, who was slowly descending into the abyss.  Lia's wings sprouted from her back in a feathery mist and Aletta followed.  Diving down, Lia called out to Hitomi's mind-self.  

_ Hitomi, don't give up, come back to us, _ she called.  Hitomi looked up at them, her eyes clouded.  

_Why, I don't have a reason to keep living, _ she said.  Lia caught Hitomi's wrist, stopping her decent.

_Don't let your mind be controlled.  There are still people who love you waiting for you.  Don't give up, _ Lia's desperate cries rang threw the darkness.

_Hitomi, wake up!  You're being controlled by Aloran's curse.  Wake up! _  Aletta's blue light washed around Hitomi's astral body.

_Aletta you don't know what you're doing.  Stop Aletta… _Aletta floated in front of Lia, blue mist surrounding her.

_Lia, I broke the spell, please… take her home _Aletta fell unconscious with those last words.

_ALETTA! _ Lia screamed.  She was alone, the blue power that had emanated from Aletta had knocked Hitomi unconscious as it had saved her.  _I can't carry them both back alone! _ She thought desperately.

_Lia!  Lia I can't hold onto Hitomi much longer, she's slipping too far away! _Van's cry was more desperate than her own.  Gathering the two young women into her arms, Lia tried to fly towards the point of light above her.  Her wings faltered, tugged down by an invisible force.  A strange voice broke the desperate silence.

_Lia, take my hand.  Follow my light home. _ As these words were said, a woman appeared in front of her bathed in light and clothed in a simple white gown.  Her silver hair and golden eyes, slit like a cats, shown in the darkness.  She held a glowing hand out to Lia, who took it in a sign of complete trust.  The darkness melted away to a place of pure light.  Lia was completely alone now; both Aletta and Hitomi had disappeared.  Suddenly she recognized the being in front of her. 

_Amana.  You're Amana aren't you! _ She said.

_I am, _replied the woman.  _My true name is Diedra.  In my time I was a mage too powerful to control my magic.  It ultimately would have killed me had I not found away to change myself into a cat in order to control that power. _

_But now you'll die anyway.  Why, why kill yourself to save us? _ Lia asked, distressed.

_I've lived long enough.  I chose this fate.  You, Medea, were a being I looked up to with all my heart.  I wanted to save you.  Please, for my sake at least, find happiness. _ Diedra 's voice faded as her body dissolved into a shower of stars.  _Find happiness… _Her voice whispered.  

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Jeris was hovering over her when she woke.  In her lap, she felt a heavy weight.  She looked down to find Amana, in her form of a cat, dead.  Two tears trickled down her cheeks as she looked into Jeris' eyes.

"She saved us all," said Lia.  Jeris nodded knowingly.  

"We heard the whole thing," he said.

"Is Hitomi alright?" asked Lia.

"She's fine," he replied, turning so she could see Hitomi, gathered tightly in Van's arms.  "Lia, now probably isn't the best time to ask, but even after everything that's happened, will you marry me?"  Lia giggled slightly.

"Why not, didn't I already say I would?  And besides, I promised Amana that I'd find happiness," she said.  Jeris grinned and swung her up into a fierce hug.  

"Then we'll make that last wish come true," he said. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Epilogue:

Lia and Jeris returned to Lavia and a people grateful for an end to the long civil war.  Six months later they were married and officially named king and queen of the small island country.  On the same day, Hitomi and Van were also wed and Van acknowledged Hitomi as the Queen of Fanelia.  During those six months after their wedding, Lia and Jeris named Aethan, Owean, Mandan and Yaren the Lavian generals and Aletta, after finishing her training under Lia, became the Master Mage of Lavia.  Along with Asnee and Pillan, whose mind had been freed from Aloran's spell, she created the first public school in Lavia to educate both the lower class and the potential mages that began popping up around the country.  

Rory and Amana were given heroes burials and a permanent memorial was created in their memory.  Lia set about learning as much about her family's past as she could and after much searching, found her mothers old diary which proved in truth that Lia had been one of twins born to the old Queen of Lavia.  On the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year when they had been but four years old, the boy, Rhodry, had disappeared, never to be seen again.  

Allen, Celena and Miguel returned to Asturia to live out relatively normal and peaceful lives.  Well, as peaceful as having a half psychotic young man who just happened to be Celena's alter ego handing around.  Merle, Van and Hitomi returned to Fanelia to take care of a frightened citizenry and immediately established a strong alliance with Lavia, as it was quickly growing in political power.  With the civil war over, the Lavian people looked forward to a new and hope-filled future.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Author's Note:  And I am done with that… finally.  Took me a while huh.  Well the madness isn't over yet, I'm writing a sequel to the insanity.  A Gundam Wing crossover for that matter… Yep, more editing for poor poor Jade the Grammar Police.  Hehe, have funJ (10/24/02: I am not writing a sequel.  I just wanted to finish posting what I started.  This story will end here, in my opinion, though I love the characters to death, it's too cliché and not worth continuing.  And yes, this was the one chapter Jade-chan never edited.)  


End file.
